I Love You, Elena
by meowkoshka
Summary: My little take on Season 3 of The Vampire Diaries. A Delena story for sure. *I do not own The Vampire Diaries, its characters, or original storyline. I do make direct quotes from episodes.
1. Chapter 1 - The Birthday

I walked into the Salvatore boardinghouse, putting my hair in a high pony tail.

"Mornin'" I hear and turn around to see Damon completely naked, dripping with bath bubbles.

"Oh!" I gasp and turn around. "You heard me. You knew that I was here."

"You know," Damon continues. "You should really learn to knock. What if I was...indecent?"

I can hear the smirk in his voice. With my eyes closed, I throw him a red blanket that was folded across one of the couches in the front parlour.

"Sheriff Forbes gave us another location to check." I continue pulling a piece of paper out of my pocket to give to him. "Memphis."

"Another dead end?"

"You don't know that."

"You're right, Elena. This could be the one. After almost two months this could be the clue that tells that Stefan is alive & well, and living in graceland."

"Fine," I resolve snatching the paper from his hands. "I'll go by myself."

Damon zips in front and grabs it back. "And let Klaus know that you're tracking him. He thinks that you're dead. Let's keep it that way."

"Its a new lead, Damon. We haven't had one in a while."

"Okay," Damon says, surrendering. "I'll check it out. If I find anything, I'll call you."

"But-"

It was no use. Damon was already up the stairs.

I had to admit, Damon wasn't all that terrible to me over these past few months. I personally, have been a wreck. I kissed Damon as he lay in his deathbed, then he didn't die and Stefan sold himself to Klaus in order to save him...

 _"You would've liked me in 1864," Damon said weakly, eyes barely open._

 _"I like you now." I whispered back._

 _"I know you love Stefan, and its always gonna be Stefan. But I love you, Elena. I just want you to know that."_

 _"I do." Tears were falling as I placed a small kiss on his lips._

 _"Thank you," Damon whispered with a smile on his face, eyes closed. He looked content. I was happy to know that he would die peacefully, knowing that I did care about him, loved him in my own way._

But then it didn't happen like that at all.

Katherine came in, fed Damon Klaus's blood, told us that Stefan was off with Klaus paying for it, and right before she left she gave me these words: "Its okay to love them both... I did."

I remember feeling shocked, confused, heartbroken, so many things. I remember Damon slowly sitting up, as I sank down into a chair.

Stefan had sacrificed so much for his brother and in a way I felt that I had betrayed him by kissing Damon. So I had to do everything in my power to get him back.

The sound of my cell phone ringing brings me from my thoughts. "Hey Caroline,"

"Elena! Great! So meet at the boardinghouse tonight at 7, for your party!"

"Yeah the one I didn't want to have."

"Oh stop, you'll have fun."

"I hope so," I sigh. "Just keep it small."

"See ya later!" -click-

I sigh putting my phone back in my pocket. I see Andiewalking down the stairs on her way to go to work. Did she give me a look of pity? Does she know something about Stefan that Damon isn't telling me?

"You're going to be late to school, Elena." Damon says as he comes up behind me, fully dressed (thankfully), and begins pushing me out the door.

"Damon!" I complain.

"See you at Blondie's party. Happy birthday." And with a wink and a smirk the front door is in my face.

I used to love birthdays. I used to love a lot more things before my parents died, before I got a vampire boyfriend, before he left... I should be spending the day with Stefan. Not spending every waking moment, anxious as to whether or not he is alive.

School was, well, school. People wished me happy birthday in the hallways. I faked a cheery, "Thank you!" Before I knew it, I staring at myself wearing a dress Caroline picked out for me in Stefan's mirror.

"Don't worry I'm not gonna lose it," I say turning to Damon who is standing in Stefan's doorway. "At least not before the cake."

"Its your party you can cry if you want to." Damon gives me a smile and I can't help but to return it.

"Ah Stefan," Damon continues walking into the room. "Such a pack rat." He picks up a framed picture of the two of us for a moment, looking at it.

"I got you something." he says putting the frame down.

I go to protest but he cuts me off, "I know I promised not to buy you anything so don't worry, I didn't pay for it."

"You stole it?"

"No," he says opening a small box. "Found it."

Looking into the box, tears fill my eyes. "My necklace! I - I thought I'd never see it again."

"Alaric found it in his loft, I figured you'd be happy to get it back."

I try to dry the tears before the fall and give Damon a smile. "I am happy. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Uhm, can you..?" I ask holding the necklace in front of me.

"Oh, absolutely." Damon stumbles putting the box back in his pocket.

I turn around and watch as Damon puts the necklace on me, tears gathering in my eyes once again. Damon gives me a sad smile, before offering his arm. "Shall we?"

I nod taking it and Damon escorts me down into whatever Caroline has planned.

I can hear the noise before I see the chaos, and I grip Damon's arm a little tighter. As I walk past, people shout, "Happy birthday!"s to me. Once we hit one of the main rooms I see crowds of people, kegs and keg standers galore. My mouth drops. "I can't  
/do this," I go to whisper to Damon but I see him compelling a girl to let go of one of his nicer bottles of Bourbon.

"You like?!" Caroline bounds but looking at my face she says, "Don't answer that."

"This is keeping it small?" Caroline gives me a smile.

"What are we drinking?" I submit, rolling my eyes walking off into the crowd with Caroline.

* * *

"I regret everything." I say as I relch once more into Damon's toilet.

"Its okay, Elena." Caroline replies, holding my hair and rubbing my back.

"No," The emotion that I have tried to hold in all day, hell all summer, comes flooding up and I burst into tears. "I miss him."

Caroline brings me into a hug. "I know you do."

"How much has she had?" Damon says barging into his room with an apologetic Bonnie behind him.

"I tried to tell him that nothing was going on but he wouldn't stay out." Bonnie pleads.

"Its okay, Bonnie." Caroline says. "Can you go get some towels, and water?" Bonnie nods and runs back downstairs.

"Leave me alone, Damo-" I begin but push myself away to vomit once more into the toilet, Caroline close behind to take care of me.

I sit myself down against the wall, wiping away at my lips loosely with a napkin. My whole body is loose. Damon goes to say something but Caroline shushes him. He leans against the doorway to the bathroom.

Bonnie comes up the stairs with everything Caroline had requested. "Hey Care, Tyler is looking for you. He said that some kids were trying to get into the wine cellar or something."

Damon juts upward with a look to kill. "I will handle it, Damon. Stay with Elena." Caroline gives me a quick hug, "Damon will take care of you." But I don't miss the warning glare she gives him as she leaves the room, towing Bonnie behind her. I laugh  
/to myself.

"What's so funny, huh?" he asks crouching down to sit in front of me.

"You're afraid of her," I slur. "Of Caroline."

"Am not." he smirks.

"You so are.." I begin but trail off as I feel another round of contents wanting to push out of me. I lean over the toilet bowel, gagging as Damon takes up Caroline's role of protecting my hair and rubbing my back. "I'm sorry I'm ruining your toilet."

"As you long as you don't miss, you won't get in trouble." Damon says quietly with a joking smile.

"Okay," I whisper, looking up at him. I relch once more into the toilet before sitting up. "I think I'm done. I wanna brush my teeth."

Damon nods and grabs me a spare tooth brush, placing it on the counter before lifting me up under my arms. I lean against him as I slush the toothbrush around, and splash some cold water onto my face. I sigh, still feeling hot tears gathering behind my  
/eyes.

"Do you want me to bring you to Stefan's room?"

Stefan's name is all it takes for the tears to spill. I lean myself over the sink, clenching hard onto the porcelain in every effort to hide my tears from Damon. But he's a vampire and I'm too drunk to be sly. He lifts me up in his arms and places me  
/on his own bed, wrapping a blanket around me before taking me into his arms. "I know you miss him, Elena. I know."

"I found the newspapers," I slur through my tears. "Why didn't you tell me you were tracking him?"

And then I cried myself to sleep there in Damon's arms.


	2. Chapter 2 - The Day After

Caroline walked back into Damon's room to see Damon tucking Elena under the covers of his king-size four poster bed. He did so with such care and gentleness. "Wow, the monster has a heart." she says sarcastically.

"Don't you wake her," Damon whispers fiercely. "Its your fault you gave her so much to drink!"

"Oh don't play this game with me, Damon. I told her to stop."

"Fine." Damon submitted.

"Thank you for taking care of her." Caroline says, causing Damon to look up in surprise.

"You're welcome." Damon answered smiling. "Now, come help me clean up my house."

* * *

The sun shone through the windows and fell onto my face. It made the back of my eyes hurt and my head more hurt. I just wanted to curl up in this nice big bed and stay here... _Wait a minute_.

I open my eyes and sit up looking around. _I'm in Damon's room,_ I thought. _Oh no, what happened last-_

"Nothing happened, Elena." Damon said from the doorway causing me to jump. "I can see the thought process in your head."

"What happened?" I asked slowly, grabbing my head and turning it away from the window.

"Caroline threw a rager for your birthday. You got drunk, and cried yourself to sleep in my bathroom. So I let you have my bed and I slept in one of the other rooms around the house."

The memories came back in small pieces with a fog around them. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be here. I should go home." I stand up quickly, but when I do a new wave of nauseous comes over me and I run into the bathroom, dry heaving over the toilet. Damon wasn't far behind me.

"Damon," I muttered.

"You need rest, Elena."

"Can you take me home?"

"Elena, just stay here. You'll be o-"

"Please just take me home!"

"Okay," Damon surrendered. "C'mon."

Damon helped me into his car, and drove as gently as possible back to my house. _Aunt Jenna is gonna kill me_ , I thought for a moment but then stopped, tears gathering in my eyes. _There is no Aunt Jenna._

"Elena." Damon snapped me out of my thoughts. "We're here."

I looked outside to see my small house in front of me. I was looking forward to just getting in my own bed and finally have a day to myself. "Thanks Damon." I said and collected my things. Damon tried to follow me into my house but I stopped him. "I'm okay, really. I'll talk to you later."

Damon gave me a wary look before getting back in his car and speeding away.

I walked into the house to see Ric standing in the living room, packing a duffel bag.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"I can't stay here anymore." He replies turning to face me.

"What?"

"I'm not a role model. You know. I drink too much, I say the wrong things... I encourage bad behaviour." He turned and picked up his bags. "In school I can pull it together but in my own life, and the way I miss Jenna, I'm really not any good to anybody right now." He walked to the door. "I'm sorry Elena. You're eighteen. You can do all this alone now. You'll do it better without me."

And with that, he left.

I stood in my living room for a few moments before deciding to go up the stairs to my bedroom. _Everyone is just leaving,_ I think as I lay down on my bed. Then my mind wanders to the previous night. The party I didn't want to have, the necklace, the booze, the newspapers... **the newspapers.** I bolt out of my bed and storm outside, my mind still pounding from the hangover and the stress of the realization. I jump in my car and drive quickly to the boardinghouse where I slam open the door and call out,

 **"DAMON!"**

When he doesn't answer, I stomp my way up the stairs into his bedroom. "What?" he asks, his voice slicing. He wasn't in a good mood.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Elena.." He turns around and approaches me.

"No! Damon, don't! Every time I came to you with a lead, you made me feel like an idiot, meanwhile you had been tracking him all summer!"

"Well you were an idiot." Damon spits getting close to my face. "We both were."

"Tell me what you know. Why didn't you tell me you were tracking Klaus's victims?!"

"Because they're not Klaus's victims, Elena, they're _Stefan's_."

My whole world stopped. Stefan has been the one doing those terrible things? "What?"

"He's left a trail of bodies up and down the eastern seaboard."

"No," I say shaking my head. "You're wrong."

"I've seen it happen before. He's flipped the switch. He's a full blown ripper."

"Stop it Damon!"

"No. _You_ stop, Elena. Stop looking for him. Stop waiting for him to come home. Just. _Stop._ "

I jumped at his final words, speechless.

"Stefan is gone and he's not coming back. At least," he paused. "Not in your lifetime."

I stood there speechless, tears still in my eyes before I turned sharply on my heel and marched my way back out to my car and drove home once again.

"Jeremy?!" I called up the stairs. Silence. He must have a shift at the grill. I nodded to myself, its better if I have the house to myself. I trudge once again up to my room and lay down on my bed except this time, sleep comes to me at once.

* * *

"Elena," a soft voice calls. "Elena."

I slowly open my eyes and see Stefan looking down at me. "Stefan?" I sit up and touch his face. "Stefan! Oh I've been so worried!" I throw my arms around his neck and breathe in his soft scent. Except... "Stefan is that blood?"

"Mmm Elena," Stefan murmurs moving my hair from shoulder and bringing his lips to my neck. However, instead of placing a sweet kiss, I feel his fangs pierce my skin.

"Stefan!" I cry, fighting against his grip. "Stefan its me! Elena! Stop!"

I begin to feel lightheaded. "Stefan," I say weakly. "You're hurting.."

Black spots start to come into my vision and just as I am about to black out-

* * *

I sit up, gasping, in my bed. I look around my room to see that it is empty. I feel my neck, the skin is smooth with no fangs marks. "It was just a dream." I say to myself. Looking out the window, I see that it is dark outside. How long did I sleep for?

I brought from taking mental inventory by my phone vibrating. _Damon,_ the screen reads. I ignore the call, only to see that I have multiple missed calls from him. "I'll deal with him later."

I get out of bed and decide that what I need is a nice long shower.

* * *

"Damn it Elena," Damon mutters into his phone. "Pick UP!" He slams his phone down onto the bedside table in Stefan's room right next to the picture of Stefan and Elena. Damon picks up the photo and throws it across the room. This sets the chain off. Damon begins flinging items all around Stefan's room, crying out in frustration, sadness, and guilt.

 _Its all my fault._ One item thrown. _Andie is dead._ Another. _Elena is heartbroken._ Another. _And I'm just acting like a dick._

Damon marvelled at the work he had just done in Stefan's bedroom for a moment before grabbing a bottle of Bourbon and storming down the stairs.

* * *

Stefan stormed out of the building, hyperventilating. _How much more of this can I take?_ he asked himself. _How many more lives until I flip the switch._ He knew what to do. He pulled the tracfone he had stolen out of his pocket and dialed Elena's number. _Please pick up. Please pick up. Please pick up._ It was like his personal litany until...

"Hello?"

He inhaled sharply, speechless.

"Hello?" There was a pause. _Don't hang up._ He searched his mind for something to say.

"Stefan?" Her voice was quiet but he breathed a sigh of relief, tears coming to his eyes.

"Stefan if this is you," she began. "You'll be okay. I love you Stefan. Hold on to that."

He nodded, biting his lower lip to keep it from trembling. "Never let that go."

And then he hung up and said, "I love you, Elena."


	3. Chapter 3 - Saving Stefan

The following morning after calling Damon at least ten times, I decided to go over to the house. Damon needed to know that there was hope for Stefan.

"Just can't stay away can you?" Damon said as he finished tearing down the newspapers that were tacked up to his closet.

"You've been dodging my calls." I replied.

"Yeah, well, you were dodging mine first."

"Why didn't you tell me about Andie?"

"Happy birthday Elena. Stefan killed Andie. Cake?" The sarcasm was practically flooding out from Damon's voice as he walked to toss the papers into the fireplace.

"He called me Damon."

Damon stopped. "What?"

"Stefan called me last night."

"Well what'd he say?"

"He didn't say anything..." Damon rolled his eyes. "But it was him! I asked Sheriff Forbes if she would trace the call's origin. It came from Tennessee."

"Where he's binge drinking on the countryfolk." Damon said as he tossed the papers and grabbed a match. "We've been over this, Elena, Stefan's gone and I don't mean geographically."

"If he was gone he wouldn't have called."

It was clear that Damon wasn't going to cooperate with me so I decided to go to Ric. He would help me.

* * *

"No Elena. I told you that I'm staying out of this. If Damon wants to back off, then he does for good reason. I would listen."

"But Ric!"

"I'm sorry, Elena. I know how much you want to get him back, but this is for your own safety."

I guess I was going to have to save Stefan by myself.

* * *

A few hours later I began hiking along a trail in a nearby forest in Tennessee where Sheriff Forbes had traced the call from. Damon was wrong. Stefan loved me. He wouldn't hurt me.

"Stefan!" I called out. "Please I just want to talk!"

I sighed and continued on lost in my own thoughts.

I must've been wandering for hours because next thing I know its dark and a chill has run through me. I looked up at the sky and noticed the bright, full moon.

Full moon.

 _I'm in the middle of werewolf country_ , I thought. _On the night of a full moon._

 _I'm an idiot._

I turned around and quickly began making the long trek down to my car. I heard the first wolf cry in the distance. Worried tears sprang from my eyes. I shook them away. I couldn't panic. I needed to get back to my car. I began moving faster through the  
woods.

To make matters worse, it began to rain. I cried out in frustration as I quickly became soaked. The ground became slick and I had made another genius decision in my insanity. I was hiking in converse.

 _I'm an idiot_.

The darkness continued to close in around me and the rain did not seem to show any signs of letting up. The ground became muddier and muddier. The wolves cried out more frequently. Panic grabbed at my throat and I began to run.

As I ran my foot caught on a root causing me to lose my footing. I attempted to ground myself by steadying my other foot into the forest floor. The forest had a slick rock to offer me and I went tumbling to the ground.

As my body made impact I heard a crack and felt the skin shed off of my arms and knees as I attempted to find some sort of grounding as I continued to slip. My back hit against a tree. I laid on the ground for a moment as my body ached. I gasped as I  
tried to recover from the wind being knocked out of me. But most of all, I felt stupid. And now, scared.

I sat myself up against the tree and shivered as my torn, wet clothes stuck to my body. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my cell phone. I had one bar of service. I needed to call someone.

"Ric!" I cried out when I heard his voice through the poor connection. "I need help! I'm hurt."

"Whe- a- you?" I heard.

"Tennessee!"

"Hang on! Damon is almost-"

The line went dead.

Damon is almost what? Where?

It took me five hours to drive from Mystic Falls into Tennessee. If they were still in Mystic Falls, I was a dead woman. The wolves would find me, I would get hypothermia, my cuts would get infected. All because of my extreme idiocy.

"God!" I screamed out in frustration as I punched at the ground, crying out as pain shot down my arm. Looking at it I saw the bruising. My hand was broken. "Great!" I screamed out. "Just GREAT!"

There was nothing I could do to hold back the hysterics anymore. I cried and screamed loudly. So what if the wolves would find me? I was stupid enough to come out here on my own. Ric was right. Gosh, even Damon was right!

My eyelids were growing heavier and heavier as I shivered harder and harder. Just as I was about to lose consciousness I thought I heard some rustling in the leaves and footsteps approaching me. After everything, death would find me in a forest just two  
days after my eighteenth birthday.

* * *

I awoke to the sound of a motor and the feeling of moving in a car. I slowly opened my eyes and saw that I was laid out in the back of a car.

"You're awake." Damon said as he looked back at me in his rearview mirror.

I could tell by his tone that he wasn't happy.

"Damon, I'm sorry." I sobbed. As I went to take a deep breath in, a shooting pain seared across my body and I cried out.

"Hey, hey! Elena listen to me! You need to lie still and be calm, okay? We'll be home soon." Damon began driving even faster.

I laid my head back down on the pillow and took a slow breath. Then I decided to take inventory.

I was wrapped tightly in numerous blankets and my arm was splinted. I was still shivering and my teeth chattered loudly.

"Damon, I'm cold." I cried.

"I know, I know. The heat is on full blast, okay? Just relax. We'll be home soon."

Soon? How long had I been out. I tilted my head back to look out the window. I saw that the moon was still full.

"What time is it? How did you find me?"

"Ric called me after you went to his apartment. We figured you were off to go do something stupid, so I followed you." he began. "You had a good head start on me though, so it wasn't _that_ easy to find you. At least not until you started bleeding."

I sighed heavily. Damon sighed in return as he turned in front of the boarding house. He came around and lifted me out of the back seat. The movement caused me to whimper in pain. "C'mon," he soothed as he carried me into the house and up the stairs into  
his bedroom.

He propped me up on his pillows before walking into the bathroom. I heard him fill the tub and gather a few things from different drawers and cabinets onto the counter. He came and unwrapped me from the blankets and took of my socks and shoes before carrying  
me into the bathroom, setting me down on the counter.

"Elena," he began grabbing my chin so I was looking him in the eyes. "I need to get you into the bath to bring your temperature back up. I'm gonna help you out of your clothes, okay?"

I nodded quietly, my cheeks becoming red at the realization that Damon was about to see me naked.

He smiled sadly at me. "Don't worry, okay? You're safe with me."

I could tell that Damon was trying his hardest to put off his frustrations with me in order to make sure I was okay.

Damon slowly brought my shirt up over my head and carefully pulled my arms out, trying to cause as little pain as possible. He stood me up and leaned me against himself. I attempted to unbutton my jeans but was unsuccessful due to my cold and numb fingers.  
I whimpered in frustration, tears gathering in my eyes. Damon smiled sadly once again as his frustration continued to turn to pity. He carefully unbuttoned my jeans and shimmied them down my thighs. I picked up one leg at a time allowing him to pull  
the jeans completely off my legs.

If I couldn't get my jeans unbuttoned there was no way that I was going to get my bra unclapsed so I turned around giving Damon permission to just do it himself. After he pulled my bra off, I managed to shim my underwear mostly down my thighs, while Damon  
pulled them the remainder of the way.

He picked me up once again and slowly lowered me into the water. It scorched my cold body and I cried out. "Its burning me, Damon!"

"The temperature is lukewarm!" he began. "You must be closer to hypothermia than I thought."

"Okay, Elena" He said bringing me out of the water. "We're gonna do this like you girls get into a freezing pool. Slow and steady."

His teasing comment about girls and cold pools brought a small laugh from me which made Damon stop and smile at me for a moment before getting back to the task at hand. He lifted me and slowly stood me in the tub. "Is that okay?" he asked. I nodded as  
my body adjusted to the temperature.

We slowly introduced more and more of my body until I was fully in the tub.

Damon then took a wash cloth and began washing my body, taking special care as he maneuvered me not to cause me further pain as I clung with my good hand to the edge of the tub for dear life. After cleaning the dirt and dried blood from me, he shampooed  
my hair, carefully massaging my scalp. He brought me forward in the tub in order to tilt me back into the water to scrub the shampoo from my hair.

He leaned me back against the tub and grabbed a big fluffly towel, standing me up and wrapping me tightly in it before sitting me on the counter once again. He grabbed another smaller towel, carefully drying and wrapping my hair. He moved on to drying  
my body off.

He sat me back against the wall before flashing away for a moment, returning with some clothes that I had kept in Stefan's room. He carefully dressed me in pj shorts and a baggy tee; and lifted me once more into his arms, carrying me to his bed.

"Okay, Elena. Let's see what you've done to yourself on your suicide mission," he said gathering the first aid supplies next to him.

I had never seen this amount of concern and seriousness in Damon before. It touched me to see that he really did feel. In fact, this showed me that he felt quite deeply.

I was quickly brought from my thoughts as I felt a deep stinging sensation on my knees causing me to cry out in pain. I looked up to see Damon holding a gauze pad soaked in peroxide. "You're the one who wanted to go save the ripper," He joked bringing  
out a look and a small laugh in the midst of my pain. He repeated the process on the other knee before spreading some antibiotic cream on both the scrapes and covering them each with a large band-aid.

He lifted my arm up to reveal another scrape above and on my elbows. "Ready?" Damon asked. I nodded and clutched at the blankets in preparation. Damon placed the peroxide-soaked gauze onto the scrape. I groaned through clenched teeth and grabbed onto  
Damon's forearm. He rubbed cream and bandaged that arm, repeating the process on the other.

"I think that does it for the cuts." Damon said, capping the peroxide.

"Thank god," I breathed.

"I need to look at your hand though."

I nodded as Damon slowly picked it up. He spread my bruised fingers out over his palm. "I need to set the bone in place."

"What does that-OW!" I screamed out as tears sprang from my eyes.

"Sorry," Damon smiled weakly. "If I built up to it, you would've freaked even more."

Damon splinted my hand once again and carefully laid it down on the bed.

"Can I give you some of my blood? It will help speed up the healing process. I just needed to make sure that it was safe enough for me to do so." Damon explained.

I nodded. He bit into his wrist and propped me against his back so I could drink.

After I finished he wrapped his arms around me, intertwining his fingers with my uninjured ones. He sighed. "What am I gonna do with you, Elena?"

The stupidity of my actions came flooding back and my shoulders shook as I began to cry. "I'm so sorry, Damon. I just want him back so badly."

"I know," he soothed cradling me, and rocking me back and forth in his arms. "I miss him, too."

"I was such an idiot. I shouldn't have done that."

"Well good. That's one less lecture I have to give you."

I smiled softly through my tears. It was short lived as my lip quivered.

Damon brought me in close to his chest. "You should get some rest."

I shrugged. "I don't know if I'll be able to sleep. These dreams I've been having."

He looked at me with deep concern. "What if I stayed with you?"

I thought for a moment. Was I acting wrongly towards Stefan by accepting Damon's comfort? I did feel very safe here with Damon. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea. I nodded.

Damon tucked me in under the covers before shutting the lights and climbing in next to me. He crossed my splinted hand over my torso as he brought me into his chest. My head rested in the crook of his neck as he wrapped his arms securely around me, rubbing  
my arms and placing a small kiss on my forehead.

The exhaustion finally hit my body and thanks to Damon relaxing me, my mind followed suit. Slowly, I fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4 - Resolutions

_Running. I was running. The wolf cries were all around me. The rain was pouring and I was practically slipping down the rocks. Until I crashed into something._

 _Rather, someone._

 _"Stefan?" I asked looking up at him._

 _His eyes were sad. "Stefan, just come home. I can help you."_

 _His eyes then darkened as the veins filled in underneath._

 _"No Stefan, its me. You wouldn't-"_

 _Stefan opened his mouth and lunged at my throat._

"Stefan, no!" I cried fighting against the grip. "Please don't hurt me."

"Nobody is going to hurt you Elena."

I opened my eyes and looked into Damon's. "Where?" I asked still disoriented from the dream.

I went to place my hand down on the bed to get up but Damon grabbed me and helped me sit up.

I looked down, remembering the splint I had on my hand. I took some deep breaths and just sat quietly, looking at my injured hand.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Damon asked softly.

I sighed. "You can probably guess." I replied, getting defensive.

"Elena," Damon pleaded.

"I'm tired, Damon." I whispered laying back down and turning over to face away from him.

I felt Damon lay back down next to me and when he was sure I wouldn't protest he placed a supportive hand along my upper arm, squeezing. "It'll be okay," he whispered before turning back over onto his side of the bed.

I knew I was acting rudely towards Damon. He has been nothing but sweet to me the past few days, even amidst the arguments. But I'm afraid. I'm afraid that I'm acting wrongly towards Stefan. I shouldn't even be in Damon's bed right now. I know Damon thinks  
there is no hope for him, but I can't help but know deep down in my heart that it _was_ Stefan who called me the other night.

"I'm gonna go to Stefan's bed." I say before getting up and walking out of the room.

As I walk up the stairs, I barely recognise Stefan's room. All of his belongings have been knocked over and thrown about the room. A glint of glass catches my eye in the middle of the room. I walk over and bend down, picking up the picture frame that  
has been turned over. Its a photo of Stefan and I; the one that Stefan always kept on his dresser.

"Elena," Damon says tiredly behind me.

"Did you do this?" I ask, angry tears in my eyes.

Damon looks down at his feet and nods.

I sigh, dropping the picture back to the floor and bringing my hands up to my head. "When?"

"Elena, it doesn't matter wh-"

"I said, _when_ , Damon!"

There was a long pause.

"The night Stefan killed Andie."

I swallowed hard, clutching at my necklace. "I see."

 _I can't get mad at him,_ I finally resolved and stepped over the mess to Stefan's bed. I cleared it off before climbing underneath the covers.

"Damon, I'm sorry." I begin, bringing forth a confused look from him. "Stefan is your brother, and you two have been through so much."

Damon shifted, clearing his throat. "And I know you called Andie your fake girlfriend, but I think deep down you really did care for her. I know you didn't want her dead."

Damon continued to stare at the floor.

"Goodnight, Elena." he finally said, shutting the light and closing the door.

"Goodnight, Damon." I said as I heard his footsteps go down the stairs.

* * *

I woke up the next morning, with my "injured" hand crunched underneath my body. However, thanks to the magic of vampire blood, it didn't need to be classified as injured as I wiggled my fingers in the splint for a moment before taking if off.

I stretched, squinting at the small ray of sunshine peeking in from the curtain to Stefan's destroyed room. I decided that I was going to clean it and put it back together.

I started with picking up the overturned furniture. I then moved on to gathering together and throwing out all of the broken items that Damon smashed in his rage. The last item I came upon was the photo from last night. I looked at it witha sad  
fondness. Stefan and I were so happy that day we took the picture. We had just decided that we were going to stick together, even with all of the supernatural drama. It was one of the first days I knew that I really loved him. And I need to honour  
that love. Which means I need to convince Damon that Stefan can still be rescued.

After I finished cleaning I went back down to the main floor of the house, calling out Damon's name.

I found him in the library, drinking some Bourbon and reading a book. "Damon," I began confident in the speech I had gathered in my mind while cleaning. "I know you think that there is no hope for Stefan-"

"No Elena, I _know_ there is no hope for Stefan." he replied, not taking his eyes from the page.

"As I was saying," I continued, disregarding his interruption. "I love Stefan, and I refuse to give up hope that we can find him, and bring him back home to us."

Damon sighed and closed the book, placing it on the table along with his Bourbon.

"I'm not taking no for an answer." I said, remaining confident.

"Elena, Stefan told me he didn't want to be saved."

"What?" I ask, the confidence shattered like the glass I found in Stefan's room the night before.

"Right before Stefan killed Andie," Damon began moving over so I could sit on the couch next to him. "He told me that this was a warning, that if I didn't back off, worse things would happen."

I was shocked. I knew Stefan was a ripper, and that wasn't good, but I didn't think he could ever be threatening like that.

"I told him that you wouldn't give up, but he seemed to move on without second thought that I brought you up." Damon continued. "Thats how I knew his humanity switch was flipped."

"And then what happened?" I asked, looking into Damon's sad eyes.

"Then he killed Andie." Damon downed the last of his Bourbon and got up to pour himself some more.

I was speechless. I tried so hard in my mind to come up with some sort of excuse for Stefan. But everything I thought of I knew Damon would have a good argument against it.

"So what do we do?" I asked quietly. "What can we do?"

"Nothing." Damon replied. "Wait until he hits rock bottom I guess, but I have no idea when that could happen. It could be decades. That's why I don't want you to waste your life, Elena." He walked over to me and placed his hands on either side of my face.  
"I know you love him, Elena. But for all that its worth, he's gone."

I swallowed back tears. "Okay," I whispered.

"I'm so sorry Elena." Damon replied softly and delicately, like I might break. Which I very well could.

"Can you take me home?" I asked. "I just need time to think."

Damon nodded, taking my hand and leading me to his car.

* * *

After saying a quick goodbye to Damon at my door, I went up to my room and sat at my window seat with my journal.

 _Stefan is gone._ I began writing, tears hitting the page, causing the ink of my pen to smudge. _He's gone and he won't come back, at least not in my lifetime. So I have resolved to let him go._


	5. Chapter 5 - Return

"Tonight," Caroline began standing on Elena's bed holding a glass of champagne. "Is about celebrating how stupid boys are, and how we are so better off without them."

"Says the one actually in a good relationship." Bonnie sneers to Elena.

"Hey!" Caroline frowns. "I can empathise."

The girls laugh as Caroline hops down.

"Regardless, lets celebrate," Elena resolves and the three girls clink their glasses in a toast.

"Woah, Elena." Bonnie says as she watches Elena chug the contents of her glass and pouring a second.

"This is my breakup party remember?"

"Touché," Bonnie says and chugs hers.

"How are things with you and Jeremy?" Caroline asks. "I mean, not to make it awkward in front of Elena."

Elena finishes the second drink. "Okay, you can talk now."

"To be honest," Bonnie begins placing her glass down on Elena's floor. "He's been acting kind of distant."

"How so?" Caroline asks.

"Well the witches said that there would be consequences when I brought him back to life, so I've been looking out for weird behaviour." Bonnie explained. "And sometimes I hear him gasp when he's by himself. And I could've sworn I heard him say Vicki's name once."

"Actually, he's done weird stuff like that." Elena says, nodding in agreement. "Its almost like he's always in a weird stoner high, but he hasn't been smoking."

"Well he did smoke at your birthday party." Caroline admits.

Both Elena and Bonnie cry out a surprised, "What?!"

"Oops," Caroline blushes. "Tyler told me that him and Matt got pretty stoned and wound up walking home from the boarding house. I promised I wouldn't tell. But, I think we can blame the champagne." Caroline giggles, picking up the bottle and swishing the contents around.

"I wonder why Matt smoked with him..." Elena says.

"Huh," Bonnie says in agreement. "That's a good point."

"We can add it to the list of why boys are so dumb." Caroline adds.

The girls laugh once again. "I'll drink to that." Elena says and the girls toast once again.

The girls' laughter is cut short when the door bell rings downstairs. "We didn't order pizza yet, did we?" Elena asks.

"No," Caroline says cocking her head to the side to listen and see who's downstairs.

"Maybe its Ric," Elena says getting up. "I'm sure its fine."

Elena walked slowly down the stairs, the champagne glass in her hand and the effects of the champagne bubbling around her head, and opened the door slowly. She gasps, "Stefan?"

* * *

Caroline instantly sprung to her feet when she heard Elena's gasp.

"What is it?" Bonnie asks, equally concerned.

"Elena just said Stefan's name."

"She can't be _that_ drunk already..." Bonnie wondered aloud. "She shouldn't really be drunk at all."

"If its really him," Caroline says moving quickly. "This could go two ways."

A crack and shatter was heard and the girls ran down the stairs. They were not expecting what they saw.

Nothing.

When Bonnie and Caroline reached the bottom of the stairs, they saw the champagne glass shattered on the floor, the front door wide open, but no Elena and no Stefan.

"This can't be good." Bonnie said.

The two girls walked out onto Elena's porch and gasped again when they saw Stefan's lifeless body laying there on the ground.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but..." Caroline began. "Call Damon."

* * *

"Where are you taking me?" I asked struggling against the strong grip around my arm.

"Calm down love, you just need to help me with my little hybrid dilemma." Klaus replied.

"Hang on, sweetheart." Klaus whispered and ran using his vampire speed until we stopped suddenly in front of Mystic Falls High School.

"What do your hybrids have to do with my high school?" I asked, gaining my balance after the speed.

"Oh this is just the arena, love." Klaus snickered, and began dragging me inside.

We made it into the gym where I saw a tall blonde woman holding Tyler Lockwood tightly. Even as he struggled, it was clear her strong grip wasn't going to loosen.

"Elena, meet Rebekah." Klaus gestured, as if introducing a star. "I'd be careful though," he whispered as an aside to Elena. "She can really be quite mean."

"I heard that, Nik." Rebekah said fiercely.

Klaus threw me on the ground near Rebekah. "So, Elena, my doppelgänger, who is supposed to be dead I might add," Klaus continued on. "Here is my hybrid dilemma."

"I followed everything in the ritual perfectly. I killed a wolf, I killed a vampire, and I killed _you_." He paused for a moment staring at me. "How you are alive now, is beyond me, but I don't really care. You see, I thought that it was the reason why I was unable to make hybrids for myself, but now I'm realising that it may actually do me some good to have you alive."

Klaus walked over to his sister, and grabbed Tyler from her. "You see," he continued on in his speech. "All the hybrids I have been trying to make this summer, died. And I have been totally unsure why. But I just have this little hunch." He grinned sickly at me.

"The witch who put this curse on me, seemed to stress that the doppelgänger had to die so strongly, it made it seem as if she was hiding something from me. And I thought, what if she wanted me to have the doppelgänger dead so I would be unable to create more hybrids?"

Klaus stopped for a moment to look at me, as if he was expecting an answer. I remained silent.

"So I've decided to follow that little hunch. I think, Elena, that you are actually the key to creating my hybrids." he smiled to himself, before biting his wrist and holding it to Tyler's mouth.


	6. Chapter 6 - Doppelgänger Blood

"C'mon Damon, pick up the phone!" Caroline called out in frustration.

 _"What, Blondie?"_

"Damon, Stefan is here dead on Elena's porch and Elena is gone." Caroline yelled into the phone.

 _"Are you kidding?"_ He replied, and then to someone else he said, _"I gotta go."_

"Damon, who are you with?" Caroline asked but Damon hung up before she could finish.

"Now what are we supposed to do? Just wait for Stefan to come back?" Bonnie asked.

As if on cue, Stefan groaned from beside them, sitting up and rubbing his neck.

"Well," Caroline began.

"Elena?" Stefan called out confused.

"Nope." Caroline snapped. "What's going on Stefan?"

Stefan looked around for a moment before jumping to his feet. "Klaus must've followed me here."

"What?!" Bonnie and Caroline gasped.

Stefan sighed. "Klaus talked about needing Elena's necklace and thinking that she had something to do with the fact that he has been unable to create hybrids, so I snuck away to come here and warn her, but he must've followed me."

"How long have you been in Mystic Falls?" Bonnie asked.

"Only since this morning."

"Well, what are we standing around for?" Caroline said. "We need to find them."

"We're right outside _Elena's_ house," Bonnie said. "I could do a locator spell pretty easily."

Bonnie, Caroline, and Stefan ran into the house to prepare for Bonnie's spell. Bonnie cleared the coffee table and lit some candles while Caroline grabbed Elena's teddy bear off her bed. Stefan grabbed a map of Mystic Falls and spread it before Bonnie before pacing anxiously around the room.

Once everything was set up, Bonnie began chanting her spell, channeling the energy of the Gilbert house and Elena's childhood toy.

"They're at the high school," Bonnie said. Caroline and Stefan sped off.

* * *

I gasped, "No!"

"Say so long," Klaus teased and snapped Tyler's neck. Just as Tyler's body hit the floor, the gym doors slammed open and Caroline and Stefan ran in.

"Tyler!" Caroline cried running to him. "What did you do to him?"

"Don't worry love," Klaus teased bending low and moving a strand of Caroline's hair from her face. "He'll be in transition soon."

Klaus stood and addressed Stefan next. "Oh ripper," he laughed. "I didn't know you were so attached to your beloved Elena." Klaus grabbed Stefan and slammed him against the wall, staring closely into his eyes.

"I'm going to go set that timer up there on the wall," Klaus began gesturing towards the basketball timer. "And when it hits zero, you will feed on your beloved doppelgänger."

Klaus zipped away and set the clock for two minutes before taking a seat on the bleachers to enjoy the show.

"Stefan, no!" I called out. "You have to fight!"

"You don't understand, Elena!" Stefan yelled coming closer to me. "I have left a trail of bodies all summer. When that clock hits zero, I am going to have to feed, and I'm not going to be able to stop."

"Stefan you can fight it," I pleaded, placing my hand on his face. "Please Stefan, I love you. I've been fighting for you all summer. What about when you called me?"

"Thirty seconds!" Klaus called excitedly.

I looked around the room panicked. Caroline had taken Tyler's body out of the gym and Rebekah had joined Klaus on the bleachers, smirking bitterly. I was all alone.

"Stefan," I said. "You have to fight. Please."

I placed a kiss on his lips.

The buzzer rang.

Stefan's eyes transformed before me, making all my nightmare come true.

"Stefan, no." I pleaded.

"Elena, RUN!" he screamed and I took off into the halls.

I didn't look back as I ran. I heard Stefan's growls behind me, as he slammed himself into the lockers, doing his best to avoid the compulsion.

My legs began to scream in resistance but I pushed them forward telling myself that this was for my survival. I need to live, at least until my half birthday.

I crashed into something hard. Looking up, I saw Klaus's smirk and he turned me around so I was facing Stefan, who was slowly coming closer to me. I felt fangs pierce my neck.

Klaus just set more bait.

Stefan collapsed to the floor, sweat pouring down his face, doing his best to fight the compulsion.

Klaus drank enough to make it hard for me to stand on my own two feet. He let go of me, causing me to fall into the lockers beside me.

"Now this is fascinating, I've never seen this before. The only thing stronger than your craving for blood is your love for this one girl. Why don't you turn it off?" Klaus taunted.

"NO!" Stefan roared, struggling to hold himself together.

"C'mon, your humanity is _killing_ you! The guilt must be exhausting. Turn it off."

"NO!"

"Stefan," I breathed out trying to give him some reassurance.

"You're strong," Klaus continued. "But you're not that strong."

Klaus got close to Stefan's face. "Turn. It. Off."

Stefan stopped for a moment. _He wouldn't. He can't._ I panicked inside.

" **NO!"** Stefan screamed out once more, pushing Klaus away from him.

Klaus shoved Stefan against some more off the lockers before screaming into his face compelling him. "TURN IT OFF!"

Stefan stepped back for a moment, gulping.

"What did you do?" I asked, shocked, clutching at my neck which was still bleeding.

Stefan closed his eyes.

"I fixed him," Klaus whispered to me in response. "But I think a test is in order."

Klaus stepped behind me, lifting me up, moving the hair from my neck and biting down once again, fresh blood pouring from the wound.

"Ripper," Klaus said. "Perhaps you would like a drink from the doppelgänger's neck."

Stefan opened his eyes once again, but it wasn't Stefan looking at me. It was a cold, heartless killer. He lunged towards me sinking his fangs into my neck.

* * *

I woke up to a strange beeping noise. "Where am I?" I groaned.

"In the hospital, sweetie." a woman answered.

I opened my eyes to see a nurse standing next to me, her hand on my arm. "You've suffered through a terrible ordeal."

"I have to get out of here." I tried sitting up.

"Not an option." she said pushing me back down. "You've lost a lot of blood."

I looked down to see blood bags being filled around me. "Wait, you're taking my blood?" I asked.

"Of course," the nurse continued. "Its very important for your friend Klaus."

I looked down to see her injecting something into my IV tube. "No!" I called but she pushed me down against the bed. "Don't fuss."

My eyes started to close and everything faded as I heard in the distant. "He told me you need plenty of rest."

* * *

"Give me the car keys, Katherine. You got the info you need from Jeremy." Damon said.

"Aww, need to check up on Elena." Katherine mocked.

"Now." Damon said through clenched teeth.

"The Damon I knew wouldn't be so dumb to go risk his life like this." Katherine said handing the keys over.

"I wouldn't do it for you," Damon said getting into the car and speeding away.

Luckily, Damon wasn't too far from Mystic Falls. He dialled Elena's number. He really began to worry when she didn't pick up. He tried Caroline again.

" _Damon! Please tell me you're on your way."_

"Yeah, what's going on?"

 _"Klaus turned Tyler into a hybrid and he took Elena somewhere. Rebekah said something about him needing her blood."_

"I'll take care of Elena." Damon said and hung up the phone.

He sped into the Mystic Falls General Parking Lot and compelled the woman at the desk to give him any information. Luckily, he got a room number where a young lady was losing a lot of blood. _That must be her._ Damon thought and ran. He entered the room and saw Elena laying in the bed. Damon was taken aback by the sight. She had tubes coming from her arms, filling blood bags. She had a gauze pad with blood soaked through on her neck and was looking incredibly pale.

Damon slowly approached the bed and took the needles out of her arms, tossing the tubes to the side. Elena stirred. "Damon," she groaned.

"Hey," he whispered, smiling sadly before carefully taking her into his arms to take her back to the boardinghouse.

* * *

Everything was disoriented. My vision was blurry, my hearing sounded foggy, and just my entire mind wasn't working right. But I guess that's what happens when you lose nine pints of blood in one sitting.

"Elena I'm gonna help you get changed." I heard Damon say. I think I was in Stefan's room. It would make sense because this is where my clothes would be. I just nodded and continued staring off in the distance, Stefan's eyes and face transforming before me in my mind.

Damon had me changed quickly and brought me downstairs into the library. He placed me on one of the chairs, and wrapped a blanket around me before getting up again.

"Here's some Bourbon," he said sitting down across from me and holding the glass out. "It'll help you forget."

I shakily took the glass from his hands and took a sip, groaning as the liquid burned.

"Yeah, its strong."

I continued to sit quietly, moving some hair behind my ear.

"You know I can help you forget too," Damon began; he looked at me with such heartbreak. "At least the memories you don't want to keep."

"No," I answered quickly. "No compulsion. I need to remember. _All_ of it."

Damon looked down at his hands quietly, before taking my necklace out and holding it before me. "I stole it back for you."

"He's really gone this time," I asked, tears coming to my eyes. "I watched it happen. After everything that we went through to... help him. Now he's just gone." Stefan's heartless eyes flashed before my mind once again.

Damon frowned and placed the necklace on the table beside me.

"Where were you, Damon?" I cried.

"I shouldn't have left."

I nodded, looking down at the Bourbon I was still holding.

Damon reached over and placed a strong hand on my leg, "I promise you," he began. "I won't leave again."

Damon and I smiled at each other.

"Well isn't this cozy." I heard from the doorway. _That can't be..._

"What are you doing here, brother?" Damon asked, standing up and before me protectively.

"Last I checked," Stefan continued, stepping into the room, "I live here." Stefan poured himself a drink. "Klaus is gone, but he's asked me to keep watch on you until he returns. From now on," he continued staring intently at me. "You are under my protection." Stefan smirked, taking a sip of his drink. "By all means," he said stepping out of the room and pointing mockingly at us. "Carry on."

I was speechless, gutted even. "Damon, I can't do that." I blurted out, panicking. My breaths started to pick up as Stefan's cold eyes stared within my mind.

"Elena," Damon said kneeling down in front of me, trying to understand the situation himself. "We'll figure something out."

"I can't, Damon, you don't understand." I said, tears falling freely. "Please take me home."

Damon nodded, grabbing my hand as we walked quickly to his car, hoping that Stefan's protection didn't mean 24-hour babysitting.

Luckily, we made it to my house without running into him.

Damon, still holding my hand, walked me up the stairs into my room, where he stepped out to leave me a moment to change into pajamas, tears freely flowing as I changed.

"You can come in," I called out, getting into my bed. Damon walked in and helped to tuck me in, handing me my teddy bear to snuggle up with. He knelt beside me. "I'm so sorry I've been such a baby Damon." I said quietly. "I tried so hard to keep it together but ever since my birthday, I've just been a mess."

"Its okay, Elena." he said, brushing some tears away. "I'll be here. I'll protect you from my brother's protection, okay?" He smiled at the end of his statement and I breathed out a small laugh. "Now, get some sleep, Elena. I'll stay here- uh, only if you want me to?"

I nodded, smiling softly, and snuggled into the covers. I reached out to hold on to Damon's hand. He rubbed mine with his thumb and eventually I fell asleep.


	7. Chapter 7 -Vampires Without Feelings 101

**A/N (Dec 26, 2016): I added more to the end of the previous chapter to aid in the flow of the story. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

"Ric," I said into my cell phone receiver a few days later. "I want you to teach me how to fight vampires."

"Are you kidding Elena?" he asked.

"No." I said strongly. "Stefan hurt me, and I don't want to let him do that again. If there is any way I can defend myself, I want to know how."

"I'll pick you up at your house at 5:30am tomorrow morning."

My 5am alarm beeped incessantly at me the following morning. What I really want to do was stay in bed and sulk. But I shook my head, shut off my alarm and got up. _I have to be strong in front of Stefan,_ I said to myself as I applied some concealer onto the two healing holes on the side of my neck. _He can't see how much he has broken me._

"Elena!" Ric called from down the stairs, bringing me from my thoughts.

"Coming!" I yelled.

"So the pressure of your punch ejects the stakes." Ric said after punching two wooden stakes into the dummy.

"Easy enough," I said and punched.

Nothing happened. So I tried again, and once more.

"It must be jammed or something," I said, hitting at the side of the spring.

"You're not strong enough. Try lifting some weights, put some meat on your bones." Ric said coldly.

"Thanks for not sugar coating it."

"Do you know what this is?" Ric asked, ignoring my comment and holding up a device.

"Yeah, its a vervain grenade. I've used them before."

"Then you know the element of surprise is your only advantage when it comes to dealing with a vampire." Ric pulled the stopper off and tossed it at me. "Surprise."

"Oh my god!" I yelled and threw it into the air, to avoid it exploding in my face. "This isn't a joke to me, Ric!" I pulled off the stake ejector and threw it on the ground and went to walk away.

"You think I'm joking?" Ric said stepping in my way. "Vampires will take whatever they want, they will hurt whoever they want, and they'll do it without remorse. It's their nature."

"You don't have to use pronouns. You can say Stefan."

"Look, I get why you're here." Ric began. "Stefan hurt you. You don't want it to happen again."

"But you think that I'm crazy." I interjected. "To believe that I can protect myself from a vampire who's flipped his humanity switch."

"I think you found a reason to get out of bed this morning." Ric replied, surprising me. "And that makes you the strongest person I know. I think that you can pretty much do anything." Ric picks up the stake ejector and hands it to me, smiling softly. I think for a moment before nodding and taking it from him slipping it back on.

* * *

 _Today is the first day of senior year,_ I thought to myself as I approached the school building a few hours later with Caroline and Bonnie. They were rattling off some pep talk, but I was too busy with my own thoughts. _Oh my gosh, the first day._ "Today's our anniversary," I said aloud, causing Bonnie and Caroline to turn around. "Stefan and I. We met the first day of school last year."

"You win," Caroline says.

"Whatever," I replied shaking it off. "Its a new year, time for a new life."

And we were smiling as we walked into the school building, until I crashed into Stefan. I froze. "Wh-what are you doing here?" I asked.

"I'm coming back to school!" Stefan exclaimed. "Go Timberwolves!"

He continued walking on as Caroline, Bonnie and I shared shocked expressions.

"Oh!" He stopped, turning around. "How could I forget? Happy anniversary."

I wanted to cry, barf, and faint all at once right there on the spot.

"See you in class." he taunted and sauntered off.

Caroline and Bonnie rushed up to me. "Are you okay?" "Elena, can you hear me?" "Get her in the bathroom."

I felt myself being moved. Caroline was compelling some girls to get out. Small dots were circling in my vision. "Call Alaric," I mumbled and then passed out.

* * *

"What happened?" I heard a man's voice say. I was sitting up against a cool wall, it felt nice as I pressed my cheek against it.

"Elena? Can you hear me?"

"Alaric?"

"Yeah, I'm here." he said and crouched down taking my hand.

I slowly came to and looked around. I was sitting on the floor of the girl's bathroom at school.

"Ric, I have to take the day off. I need to train harder. I have to be ready. He's gonna be everywhere."

"Elena, right now you need to take it easy."

"No," I said and tried to get up, only to have Ric push me back down.

"Elena," Ric said seriously. "Don't be stupid."

He continued to look at me with concern, with sadness, and with love? Like a loving look that my father would give me.

"Okay," I whispered. Ric extended his hand to help me up.

"Do you want to go home?" Bonnie asked. I had totally forgotten that she and Caroline were still here.

"No," I said. "I just need a minute. If I go home, it'll just prove that Stefan has control over me in this state."

"Good choice." Caroline said. I smiled and reached over to Caroline and Bonnie, pulling them in for big hugs. "Thank you." I said.

"You'll figure this out Elena." Ric said, smiling before he exited the girl's bathroom.

I closed my eyes, took a breath, and let it out. "Let's do this."

* * *

After school had ended I went to go find Ric in his classroom. "Alaric, hey!" I called coming up to his desk.

"How ya feeling, Elena?"

"Better, thanks." I answered. "And, I think you should move back in with Jeremy and I."

"What?"

I had actually been putting a lot of thought into this, ever since he moved out.

"Ric, I know you're lonely in your loft by yourself. And you've become family to Jeremy and I."

Ric nodded, considering the option. "And despite you wanting to be moved out," I continued with a smirk. "You still wind up on our couch at least once a week."

Ric and I laughed. "I know you said I could all this on my own now, but Alaric I think you need us just as much as we need you."

"Thanks Elena." He smiled. "I've actually been thinking about how much you and Jeremy mean to me. And it wasn't right of me to walk just because it was so hard for me with Jenna and all. I pushed you guys away, and I'm sorry."

"Ric, its okay."

"If you'll have me back?" Ric asked.

I nodded, laughing. "Of course!"

* * *

After Ric moved back in, things moved smoothly. I would wake up, train with Ric. Go to school. Avoid Stefan as much as possible. When I did have to see Stefan, I would try really hard to think of the times when he was actually Stefan, and not this heartless monster. I would hang out with Bonnie and Caroline a little. See Damon once in a while at the Grill. Hang out with Ric and Jeremy at home. And things were.. okay.

I kept myself together pretty well in front of everyone. Everyone would look at me for a moment, to see how close I was to breaking, and once I convinced them (and myself) that I was okay, things would operate kind of normally.

It wasn't until I was alone that my true feelings came out. I would take advantage of these moments of solitude. I would let out desperate sighs while laying in bed, I wouldn't force myself to eat like I did in front of everyone else because of the deep pit I always had in my stomach, but most of all I would allow myself to cry. I can't even count how many times a day I choke back tears. I'm sure people notice, but I always insist that I'm okay. And they leave me alone.

I just hope that things change soon.


	8. Chapter 8 - The Shattering Facade

Knocking on the door to the Salvatore Boardinghouse, I got no response. Pressing my ear against the crack of the door I tried my best to hone in my weak human ears to any signs that someone was home. I heard a crash and some giggles. I opened the door and crossed over the threshold calling out, "Hello?"

"Hello?" a voice called out. A female's voice.

"Who's there?" I asked.

The giggles lead me to the parlor. As I entered the parlour I immediately regretted coming over to meet Damon. Damon wanted me to come over because he was worried about me. If anyone could see through the weak facade I was putting up lately, it would be him. Regardless, I would never be able to unsee the mess in the parlour.

There were three women half dressed dancing around drinking and laughing. They had bleeding bite marks trailing their bodies. And in the center of the three of them was...

"Stefan." I said breathlessly.

"You look like a mess." I stated crossing my arms.

"Well, thank you." Stefan said looking down at his blood-stained clothing. "A man's gotta eat." He called one of the women towards himself and pulled her head back exposing her already bloodied neck. Never breaking eye contact with me, he bit down and began to drink once again.

I was beginning to feel sick but I couldn't look weak in front of him. I couldn't throw all my hard work away.

Eventually the blood starting get to him and he closed his eyes, relishing the high. He began sucking at her neck more and more forcefully until - crack! - her head came clean off and fell to the floor.

"Well damn," Stefan said ignoring the looks of shock coming at him from around the room. "I didn't prioritize that well." He laughed and let go of her, her body hitting the floor with a loud 'thud'. "No offence to these other ladies but she was by far the hottest. I should've savored her." He paused for a moment before sickly brightening up again. "Oh well! I'll find more!"

He made his way towards the other two women who were now clinging to each other in fear. "Did I tell you to stop having fun?" he asked and they began giggling once again.

I was in utter shock. I mean, Stefan had been acting like a jerk with his humanity off but I had never seen him in the midst of...well, whatever was happening before me. I felt the tears begin to well up in my eyes.

"Oh Elena," Stefan said sarcastically coming towards me. "Look at you." I took a step back but in an instant Stefan had me pinned against a back wall. He stroked my face, catching a tear on his finger. "My humanity always prevented me from seeing you as you really are," he began as he leaned in close. He breathed in my scent and whispered closely into my ear, "pathetic."

My breath hitched in my throat as his statement cut through me, and my weak facade of indifference towards him. He took a step back and looked at the tears flowing freely from my eyes. He scoffed before turning back towards the two women dancing.

I had to get out. Wiping my tears angrily from my eyes I turned back and stormed out towards the front door. As I was about to exit, I crashed into someone's chest. "Stefan just let me go, you've already done enough."

"Hey, what's going on?"

I looked up to see that it was actually Damon that I had crashed into. I looked down quickly hoping that he didn't see my teary eyes and red cheeks. "Nothing, I was just leaving." I said pushing past him, trying to gather the shattered pieces of my facade. But the facade had shattered, there was no hope of putting it back together.

* * *

 _I'm running late to meet Elena,_ Damon thought and pressed down further onto the gas petal of his car. _I just hope Stefan hasn't done anything._

He pulled into the driveway and saw that both Stefan's and Elena's cars were home. Damon rushed in, hearing the giggles of young women from the house. _I hope Stefan isn't playing Twister with his food again,_ Damon thought. _At least not around Elena._ When he walked into the house, someone crashed into his chest. "Stefan just let me go, you've already done enough."

"Hey, what's going on?" he asked. _I'm gonna kill Stefan,_ he thought afterwords.

Elena's cheeks were red and there were tears in her eyes. _I'm going to kill him slowly_. Damon thought again. Before he could reach his hand up to brush away a tear Elena said, "Nothing, I was just leaving." And left.

She had been pushing Damon away ever since he had saved her from the hospital. She had been training mercilessly with Alaric and doing the bare minimum association with Bonnie and Caroline to keep them fooled but Damon knew. Elena's heart had shattered.

"Stefan!" Damon called through gritted teeth. He walked into the parlour to see Damon draining a young woman, dumping her body next to that of a headless one already on the floor. The final girl was pale and shaking. Damon ran forward and grabbed her. "Don't be afraid. Don't move." he compelled.

"What are you doing Damon?" Stefan asked stepping forward.

"Thanks for bringing home dinner brother." he replied and drained the young woman.

"What the hell? That was my food!"

"That's for hurting Elena." Damon said, sprinting forward to punch Stefan. The blow sent Stefan flying across the room.

"Damon you've gotten weak." Stefan said. "Just remember, she's still my girl."

"She won't be for long." Damon said and went outside to his car to try and undo some of the damage his brother had done.

* * *

I climbed into my car and drove back home. I went immediately into my room and slammed the door, collapsing in tears on my bed. I love Stefan. I thought. He was so compassionate, and was so good to me when we were dating. Who knew that blood and the humanity switch could transform a kind, loving person into a monster? No matter how shocking it was to me, I witnessed it. I witnessed it when he hurt me, and I witnessed it again today when he drained that woman clean. And it only made me cry harder into my pillow.

In fact, I screamed into my pillow. All the emotions behind the facade had broken free and there was no stopping them now.

"Hey," I heard as I inhaled to make my next scream. Sitting up I saw Damon standing in my doorway. _Great_ , I thought.

"I told you I was fine Damon." I said. Clearly that was a pathetic lie - my hair was tangled, my cheeks were hot and red with tears streaked down them. _But that's what I was, pathetic._ As I thought that, a fresh sob worked through me spilling more tears. I grabbed my pillow and buried my face in it, holding it tightly to my body.

I felt the bed dip as Damon sat down and wrapped his arms around me, smoothing back my hair. He wrestled the pillow out of my arms, placing it next to me on the bed. While holding one hand, he used the other to lift my chin up. "Look at me," he whispered. Damon moved my hair, exposing my vulnerable face. My lip and well, my whole body trembled violently as I did my best to choke back these tears.

A huge sob escaped from me. I went to find my pillow again, to hide myself, but Damon grabbed my arms and wrapped them around his torso. He then wrapped his arms around me; one strong across my lower back, the other on a diagonal across as he held my head close to his shoulder. He gave me small kisses on my forehead. I clutched tightly to him, my fingers pressing hard into his back as I sobbed into his shirt. He held me in rhythm with my cries and sobs; holding me closer when they got so intense I thought for sure my body was going to explode.

The concept of time flew out the window as Damon and I sat there on my bed. My sobs eventually died down to sniffles and small hiccups of air until eventually everything was still and quiet as Damon held me.

I sighed heavily adjusting myself to lean sideways tucking my head under Damon's chin. He cradled me, rubbing my arm and holding my hand in his. "You okay?" he whispered softly.

I just shrugged.

"C'mon," he said, standing me up out of my bed.

"What are we doing?" I croaked, my voice hoarse from all the crying.

"We're going downstairs to make hot chocolate." He said as he wrapped a blanket around me and took my hand.

I smiled sadly at this thought, fresh tears spilling out.

He smiled sadly and squeezed my hand before leading me downstairs, and sitting me in one of the tall chairs at the kitchen island. While the water boiled, Damon looked intently at me, leaning on the counter slightly. I just looked at my hands, as silent tears continued to spill.

Damon poured the hot chocolate powder into the mugs. He filled them partway with the hot water and stirred, filling the rest of the cup with milk from the fridge. He topped off the beverage with some whipped cream.

I snatched the can from him and squirted some cream into my mouth. I gestured towards him to allow me to do the same. However, I squirted way too much into his mouth, that it overflowed onto his face. I laughed through my tears and he yelped, grabbing the can from me. "Two can play at the game," he smirked coming towards me. I squealed as he put a dab of whipped cream on my nose.

I wiped the cream from my face and picked up my warm mug taking a sip. "Mmmm." I said, closing my eyes, relishing in the taste and consistency of the beverage.

"Helping ya feel better?" Damon said, smiling softly. I nodded placing the mug back on the counter. I took a deep breath, hoping that the tears would not start again as I said this. "Damon he told me I was pathetic. He pushed me back against the wall and whispered in my ear that I was pathetic."

"Listen," Damon began as he took my hand. "I know things have been really tough for you. And I know what Stefan has done and said to you has hurt you deeper than you let anyone see, but you need to understand, that turning off the switch brings forth the absolute worst in us. These are parts of himself that Stefan would never give the time of day to if he had his emotions."

I nodded, shifting uncomfortably at the fact that Damon really did how much I was hurting. That I was being forced to really face all this.

"Now, his actions are going to have consequences and when the switch finally goes back on he'll have to deal with him." he continued sipping his hot chocolate. "I am definitely not giving him a slip on acting like a total ass to you, got that?" He winked at me as I smiled for a moment.

"Damon I just never imagined that someone so sweet as Stefan could have this whole other side. His disregard for the life of those women, the way he looked at me with such contempt, like he was mocking me for being afraid and upset! That's not the Stefan I fell in love with."

"Its not, Elena. Its not at all. But I promise you," he took my hand once again and looked into my eyes. "I'll protect you from him."

"Now, c'mon!" he beckoned dragging me into the living room. He plopped a spot down on the couch and opened his arms to me. "Lets watch a movie, shall we?" Smiling, I sat down in his embrace leaning myself against his chest as he fixed my blanket around us; and we watched Twilight, with Damon's special commentary that had me laughing so hard my sides hurt.

After the movie ended, we just sat quietly. The exhaustion from all of my emotions eventually caught up to me and I vaguely remember Damon tucking me in bed, placing a small kiss on my forehead.

And I could've sworn I heard him whisper, "I love you, Elena."

* * *

And he could've sworn that she slurred in her sleep, "I love you, Damon."


	9. Chapter 9 - The Bonfire

"How are you doing, Elena?" Caroline asked as she and Bonnie appraoched me at my locker the following day. "Don't get upset but Damon told us that you were having a hard time with everything going on." Bonnie added on.

"No, its okay." I said, closing my locker. "I was having a hard time, and I'm sorry for hiding it from you guys. I know how much you care about me."

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Caroline began. "But Damon has proved that he really cares about you too."

"Wow Caroline." I smirked.

"Hey, but my threat still stands! If he does anything, I will stake him so fast-"

"You don't have to pretend." Bonnie said. "He's growing on you."

Caroline rolled her eyes, giving Bonnie a playful shove.

"Seriously Elena," Bonnie continued, giving her an earnest look. "Are you okay?"

"I'm doing better." Elena answered, nodding. "Damon caught me in a rough moment and all my emotions spilled out. But I feel a lot more refreshed today after finally letting it all out."

The final bell rang ahead us, signalling the end of the school day.

"Well, I gotta go to cheer practice." Caroline said.

"I think I'm gonna hit the track for a bit before heading home, I'll see you later at bonfire?" I asked.

Bonnie nodded, "See you two later."

* * *

As I began my run, I relished in the happy thought that I didn't run into Stefan at all that day. And when I did see him, I was able to escape into a crowd to avoid one-on-one contact.

But I spoke too soon.

"Look at you, being all fit." Stefan said, coming up to run beside me. I sighed, doing my best to ignore him. "Hey, you going to the bonfire tonight?" Stefan asked. "Sounds like fun, right?"

"Seriously Stefan, leave me alone." I said changing direction. Stefan just began running backwards, maintaining eye contact with me. "You think I'm annoying now?" he asked. "Wait until homecoming."

"Hey who are you bringing by the way? I don't want to be weird."

I rolled my eyes and crashed into someone warming up on the track before me. "I'm sorry," he said putting his hands up. I shook my ahead about to brush it off but Stefan pushed him, so he fell back onto the ground. "Watch it, dick!" he exclaimed.

"Who are you?!" I yelled back at him.

"I'm the guy who's been assigned to protect a human blood bag." he answered. "I mean, no offence or anything."

I put up my hands and walked away back to the locker room.

"What?" he asked, confused as to what he did wrong.

I was going to have to take my workout elsewhere. So, I called Damon and went to Alaric's loft.

"What are you gonna bench press a vampire?" Damon said, as he walked in.

"Do you understand what's happening right now?" I asked exerting myself to push the weight up. "Stefan just called me a human blood bag. He's a completely different person." I brought the weight down for another rep.

Damon walked over and grabbed onto the bar, pushing it down. "What are you doing?" I asked, straining under the extra weight.

"I'm helping you out." he smirked.

"Damon!" I called struggling.

"C'mon, Buffy!"

"Stop it!" I yelled, letting go. Damon placed the weight back in the holder and laughed to himself walking away.

"Like one obnoxious Salvatore isn't bad enough." I said sitting up.

"You called. I'm here." he said, picking up one of Ric's stakes. "What's your plan, O Warrior Princess?" he teased swinging the stake.

"I wanna lock Stefan up. At least until this Mikael guy comes, kills Klaus, and the compulsion breaks."

"Compulsion or not, Stefan is high on human blood. Ok? And a lot of it."

"You've gotten him off of it before." I said pulling my hair down.

"This is different. Its not a stint in rehab, Elena. His humanity is gone. Lights out. No one's home."

"Then do it for me, Damon." I pleaded, standing up. "Every single time I look at him, I feel like I'm gonna break and I'm not going to give him that satisfaction."

Damon grabbed my hand and placed it on his chest. "What are you doing?"

"Feel that?" he asked, moving my hand around. "Its the sternum. Solid plate of bone."

"Right here." he said, swinging my back into his chest and placing his hand under my ribs. I took in a sharp breath. "Just below the ribcage." he continued on quietly, massaging the flesh. "Next to the spine." he whispered into my ear. "That's your way to a vampire's heart."

"I'll do whatever it is you need me to do Elena." he said taking his hand off and releasing me. I turned around and we stood closely. "No one's gonna hurt you." he assured me. "Especially not my brother."

* * *

The music blared outside of Alaric's classroom as we gathered all the supplies.

"I'll lure Stefan away from the bonfire." I began. "Then when he's distracted-"

"I'll shoot him." Alaric finished.

"Caroline, are you covered?" I asked.

"Yes! I will make sure that the old Forbes jail cell is prepped and ready."

"We're forgetting a key player, here." Damon adds. "Rebekah? She is still in town. And wherever Stefan goes, she seems to follow."

"Which is why its your job to keep her away." I state crossing my arms.

"How? She's an original. Last time I checked, we are out of daggers."

"So preoccupy her with your charm."

"Might be easier to find the dagger," Alaric chimed in.

"Funny." Damon said.

* * *

Just as we suspected, Rebekah was by Stefan who was by one of the kegs. I confidently walked up and filled a red solo cup.

"Elena, hi." Stefan started watching me fill the cup. "What are you doing?"

"I'm having fun Stefan. You got a problem with that?" I replied, chugging the beer down.

"All right, take it easy." Stefan says. "We both know you're kind of a lightweight."

"Really?" I scoff, filling my cup again. "You think I'm gonna let a blood addict tell me how to drink?"

* * *

Later on, Damon watched Rebekah sitting on a log and holding a marshmellow over the fire. He walked over and took a seat next to her.

"What? No friends your own age?" she teased.

"Like you can talk." Damon retorted back.

Rebekah held up the marshmallow that had caught fire. She blew it out to reveal a black charred treat. "Is this supposed to be fun?" she asked. "I've been through ten of these."

"No you're looking at it all wrong." Damon responded, taking the stick from her hand. "This is a little rough on the outside." He peeled the hard shell off of the marshmallow. "But on the inside, yum."

Rebekah stuck the marshmallow in her mouth and relished in the taste. "That is good."

"Yup." Damon said, licking some of the sticky residue from his fingers.

What Damon didn't see was that Elena was watching the pair curiously from afar.

* * *

"What's that look?" Stefan asked approaching her. "You jealous."

"I'm not jealous." Elena stated, chugging the rest of her beer. "Whatever, I'm out of here."

And just as Elena had suspected, Stefan followed her.

* * *

"I can't believe you've never had one of these before." Damon said, watching the blonde original take another bite of her s'more.

"I was in a coffin for 90 years."

Damon nodded.

"Why are you being nice to me?" she asked. "You hate me. You should be mean."

"I can be mean if thats what you like," he replied, moving in closer to her.

"You're distracting me, aren't you." She said, getting up.

"No, just trying to show some hospitality to my housemate. Even if you did just invite yourself into residence." Damon winked, trying to hold his cover.

"Just remember, its never a fair fight, Damon." she retorted before stabbing her marshmallow stick into Damon's stomach. He groaned, falling over.

 _I just hope Elena got Stefan away_ , he thought and pulled the stake out, tossing it aside.

* * *

I was laying down on the bleachers surrounding the track, looking up at the stars in the sky. I trilled my lips, allowing my hand to fall freely, clunking onto the metal.

"I used to know every constellation." I slurred to Stefan as he stood at the bottom bleacher. "How did I forget them all?"

"You're drunk." he stated, placing his hands on his hips. "You need to go home."

"Fine." I said stumbling up. "Let me find my car." I swerved and grabbed onto the railing to steady myself.

"You're joking right?"

"Uh-oh. Its the fun police. I thought that Ripper Stefan was supposed to be the life of the party."

"Well, all right. I'm driving you home." he resolved, turning back. "C'mon."

I took this opportunity to climb over the railing, so I was standing on its edge, a good 20 feet drop below me.

"What are you, five?" he asked turning around. "Get down."

"Why?" I laughed. "Are you afraid I'm going to- woah!" I slipped a bit, almost losing my footing. "That was close," I laughed pointing at Stefan. "Klaus would not be happy with you."

"You're hilarious." Stefan called out quietly.

"Look, Stefan." I said bringing my hands up and holding onto the railing with my elbow. "No hands!" I pretended to lose my grip on the railing once more laughing until I actually slipped, hitting my face on the side of the railing, screaming as I fell.

* * *

Stefan felt a twinge in his heart when he ran to catch Elena as she fell from the bleachers. They looked at each other intently. His humanity trying to push forward an ounce.

"I knew you'd catch me." she breathed.

He continued to look at her until he felt the first dart go into his back. He groaned as several made his way, pumping vervain into his blood stream, causing him to fall unconscious.

* * *

"You okay?" Alaric asked me from the other side of his vervain-dart gun.

I nodded. "Yeah," I said catching my breath from the fall. "I'm fine."

"You look not sober." he stated. "And a little banged up."

"The plan worked." I slurred, feeling at the bruise and little gash on my cheek from the hitting the metal. "Just get him in the car."

* * *

"Damon I can do it." I said grabbing at the Q-tip and Neosporin.

"Elena." Damon said strongly. "You risked yourself tonight, the least I can do is apply first aid."

I rolled my eyes and allowed him to continue, wincing when he placed pressure at the bruised skin.

"You played your part of the plan really well tonight." I said.

"Oh, yeah?" Damon asked, applying more ointment onto my cheek.

"You had Rebekah drooling all over you _and_ your marshmallows."

"I thought you were too drunk to notice."

"I was faking most of it."

"So was I."

I looked at Damon as he placed the cap on the Neosporin, getting butterflies in my stomach. Everytime I looked at Stefan, I was filled with disgust, anxiety, and pain; but when I looked at Damon...

"You ready to go Elena?" Ric asked, walking into the bathroom.

I nodded, hopping off the bathroom counter.

"Hey, take this." Damon said tossing me a bottle of water. "I know you were faking _most_ of it, but you still aren't the poster child for sobriety."

I laughed. "Goodnight Damon."

"Goodnight Elena, Ric."

* * *

As I sat by my window tonight with my diary open in my lap, I couldn't help but think about my new feelings for Damon. _Its almost if the brothers have switched_ , I wrote. _Damon was once the villain, the one I felt uneasy and afraid around. But now... Now its as if he's come to know me better than I know myself. I trust him and I care about him. And I know he cares about me._

 _Stefan on the other hand,_ I continued. _Has changed into a monster. As his behaviour continues to spiral out of control, I find my feelings for him diminishing. I mean, does that make me a bad person? I still love him, and I still know that I need to do whatever it takes to get him back to his old self, his real self. But will we be the same when its all over?_

 _I can't help but think it won't. But nothing has ever been the same, since my parents...since I met him...since the sacrifice. And I can't help but notice that Damon has always desired to protect me, even when he wasn't the friendliest of persons._

 _But I can't let all these feelings overwhelm me. I need to focus on getting Stefan back. Then we'll see where all this takes us._


	10. Chapter 10 - Intervention

AndI woke up the following morning with a clear mind, focused on only one thing: saving Stefan. I got up and went to my windowseat, pulling my journal out. _Let's make a list of all the reasons why I can get Stefan back._ I thought.

 _1\. He's in Mystic Falls._  
 _2\. He's at the boardinghouse._  
 _3\. Klaus is not around to keep tabs._  
 _4\. I love him._

I was tempted to put a question mark after bullet number 4, but I shook my head. _I do love him._ I thought. _I do, I do, I do._

 _But you love Damon, too._ My mind told me.

I sighed and decided to leave that dilemma. I was going to meet Bonnie and Caroline at the Grill to discuss plans for saving Stefan. Once we had that solidified, we would bring Damon in.

* * *

"Okay," I said, once we all sat down and got our food. "Operation Save Stefan. I made a list of reasons why we can save him not as opposed to over the summer. The fact that he is here in Mystic Falls is number 1. Klaus isn't around either. So basically, all we need to do is help him get off human blood and flip his humanity back on."

"Easier said then done," Caroline said. "How are we going to go about this?"

"Well, Ric and Damon are taking shifts watching him in the cellar of the boardinghouse. Lexi has always been the best person to get him off human blood before. So, Bonnie," I paused turning to her. "Is there anyway we can try and contact her? See if she can help us out?"

"I can try," Bonnie said. "I'll go get my things ready. You guys can meet me at the old witches' mansion in an hour."

Caroline and I nodded as Bonnie got up.

"How are we gonna get his emotions back?" Caroline asked.

"That I'm not sure. I'm hoping that while he's weak from whatever blood detox he has to do, he'll feel something. I mean he needs to realise that he's at risk of losing me for good if he doesn't change his behaviour."

"What?! Lose you to who?" Caroline exclaimed.

 _Uh-oh,_ I thought. _Don't let thoughts of Damon slip, or Caroline will flip._

"I just mean that I only have a human lifespan. And I want to live that life to the fullest."

"Okay," Caroline said giving me a warning glance.

"I'll see you later, Care."

* * *

Just a few short hours later the three girls were gathered in Elena's bedroom; seated in a circle with candles in between.

"Ok, here goes." Bonnie said,closingher eyes and beginning her chant.

The candle flared up, causing Caroline and Elena to jump. Next the lights flickered in the bedroom.

"Lexi," Bonnie called out. "We need your help to save Stefan."

"Lexi, please!" Elena pleaded.

Bonnie head snapped back and her body tensed, blood beginning to pour out of her nostril.

"Bonnie!" The girls called out.

After a few moments, she snapped back, blinking her eyes slowly.

"Did you get her?" Elena asked, hurrying closer to the witch.

Bonnie nodded, taking the tissue Caroline offered and wiped her nose. "I need to find a spell that makes time pass quickly."

The girls gave Bonnie a confused look.

"Not for everyone, just for Stefan. Like we'll speed up the process of weening him off blood internally. Lexi said that itwon't be comfortable for him, but it'll weaken him enough so we can get him back on animal blood." Bonnie explained.

"Will you be strong enough to do the spell?" Elena asked.

"I should be," Bonnie replied. "I can find something to channel, just in case."

"Well," Caroline concluded standing up. "Let's get to work."

* * *

Back at the Boardinghouse Damon and Ric were sitting in the parlor, drinking some Bourbon, while Stefan sat in the cell in the basement.

"So what's going on between you and Elena lately?" Ric asked.

"Oh the million dollar question," Damon smirked.

"Seriously though," Ric went on. "I mean I know I'm like their unofficial guardian but _you're_ also my bud."

"Well we all know how I feel about her." Damon answered, staring into his glass. "And I can feel that she's been relying on me more, emotionally..."

"And yet she's still working so hard to save Stefan." Ric competed the thought.

Damon nodded, placing his glass on the table.

"Speaking off Stefan," Damon went on. "Let's see if we can get him to drink some Bourbon to take the edge off. Maybe he won't wine as much."

* * *

"I think I found it!" Bonnie exclaimed, pointing to a spell in Emily Bonnett' old grimoire. "It describes it as a spell that intensifies sensations in the body, as if time was moving faster and affecting the body atthat same rate. Does not effect  
the flow on time to the outside world."

"Let's give it a try and see what happens," Elena said.

* * *

My stomach was doing flips as we approached the door of the Salvatore Boardinghouse. Once we got inside, we found Ric sitting in the parlour with a drink.

"Where's Damon?" I asked.

Ric looked up and was surprised by the sight of the three of us. We were definitely determined. "Downstairs with Stefan," he replied.

"Let's go." I said, feeling like a leader going into battle. My stomach did another flip.

Once we got down to the dusty basement, Bonnie and Caroline started setting up candles as I went to find Damon.

"We have a plan," I said to him.

"What kind of plan? Teen witch and Barbie?" He asked looking over my shoulder.

"Just _trust_ me. It's from Lexi."

"Lexi?" We heard from a distance. I looked into the small window to the cell and saw a weak Stefan intrigued by the mention of her name.

"Afraid?" Damon asked.

"Oh Lexi," Stefan continued on to himself. "Even in death she just _won't give up_."

"And neither will I." I said and waved Bonnie over.

"Damon let her in with him."

"Are you kidding, Elena?" He replied.

I looked at him with a strong expression.

"Fine." Damon said opening the door. "One moment please." He slammed the door in our faces. We heard some scuffs, the sound of tearing flesh, and a groan from Stefan.

Damon came out with a stake. "Stabbed him in the stomach to keep him weak. Go ahead."

Bonnie entered the cell with Damon. Damon grabbed hold of Stefan while Bonnie placed her hands on his head. Stefan struggled against Damon's grip.

"Phass matos..." Bonnie began chanting. The candles blazed strongly. Stefan started screaming.

"One month," Bonnie began in between her chants. "Three months, seven months, 1 year, 5 years.."

Big beads of sweat were forming on Stefan's forehead and dropping down and he weakened even more before all of our eyes.

I walked in and stood directly across from Stefan and looked into his eyes. He stared back into mine. But no life came to them, no spark, no _Stefan._

 __

Bonnie stopped her spell and stepped back. Damon dropped Stefan to the ground. I walked up and placed my hand on the side of his face.

"You know your wasting your life." He panted.

"No Stefan," I replied. "I refuse to give up hope."

"Well then **give up.** " Stefan spat, veins bulging under his eyes. "You're gonna be waiting a long time."

"Then you'll lose me. Forever." I said and got up. As I walked away from him, my heart cried out for him to respond, to wake up, to call out to me, "Elena! I'm sorry! I love you!"

But he didn't say anything.

"I guess we can try again tomorrow." I said to Damon who shut the celldoor and lead us up the stairs.


	11. Chapter 11 - Beheadings and Kisses

"Elena, let me drive you home." Damon pleaded as we walked up to the main floor of the Boardinghouse.

"Okay," I surrendered. I was too frazzled to drive. "Can you drive my car though?"

"Sure," Damon said, helping me into my jacket.

The drive home was silent, until we pulled up the my house with an ambulance pulling away. "What?" I asked quietly before running out of the car. I stopped short when I made eye contact with Jeremy who was standing over a body, with a bloody meat cleaver and blood splattered on his face.

"What happened?" I yelled running to Jeremy.

"Ric's ring kinda wonked out. He woke up and then coughed up blood. The paramedics were about to take him when this hybrid showed and compelled them to leave. So I killed him and was about to drive Ric to the hospital myself." Jeremy explained.

"Wait," Damon said, rushing to Ric. "I got it." Damon bit into his wrist and held it to Ric's mouth.

Alaric choked for a moment before opening his eyes. "Oh Ric, thank God you're okay." I said placing my head against his chest.

"Wait a minute." Damon said. "What do you mean Ric's ring wonked out? How did he die in the first place?"

"Tyler got me off vervain and then that hybrid compelled me to stand in front of a moving car. Ric jumped in front of it when he got home and saved me." Jeremy explained.

"Oh my God," I cried.

"Jeremy," Damon began. "Why don't you take Ric back to his loft and hang out there for a bit. Its been a long day. Your sister and I will take care of everything."

Jeremy nodded and helped Ric up before taking him into his car and driving away.

"Let me clean this up." I said and went inside the house. I was only going to focus on cleaning the blood from the porch. That was simple. That was something I could fix.

"Elena," Damon began but I put my hand up cutting him off before getting a bucket and a wet rag. I knelt down on the porch. "Can you get rid of the body?" I asked.

Damon nodded, picking it up. "I'll come right back here," he said and zoomed off.

When Damon got back, I was rinsing the rags off in the sink.

"Did you get rid of him?" I asked, squeezing the rag, blood dripping all down my hands.

"Yeah, Tony the headless hybrid is now at the bottom of the quarry." He replied, trying to joke but I couldn't bring myself to laugh or even smile.

Damon picked up on this. "How are you?" he asked.

"I think I got most of the blood off the porch." I replied.

"Elena," Damon said and I stopped. I couldn't let him get to me, I can't be weak anymore. "Look at me."

I slowly turned around, keeping my head low and I brought my eyes up to meet him halfway.

"It's gonna be okay," he said softly.

I swallowed hard and my heart twinged. "This isn't right," I said. "My brother just chopped off someone's head. He's sixteen years old. We have to fix this."

I turned around and began furiously scrubbing at the bucket in the sink.

"Elena," Damon said softly. "We will, hey." He reached around and shut off the water, before turning me around. He wrapped his arms around me, bringing me close to his chest. "We will."

* * *

"Are you okay, Jeremy?" Ric asked, sitting next to him on the couch in the loft.

"I just chopped off someone's head with a meat cleaver, how do you think I am?" he replied sarcastically.

"You know you can talk to me about this," Ric suggested.

"I know, but what are you going to say that I don't already know. This all sucks, but its life. I just have to get used to it."

There was a soft knock at the door, before Damon and Elena came into the loft.

"How ya feelin' Ric?" Damon asked.

"Good," he replied. "What are you guys doing here?"

"We need to talk to Jeremy." Elena said, coming to sit down next to him.

"What's going on?" Jeremy asked, confused.

"Your sister thinks we should have another one of our talks." Damon said, coming to kneel in front of me.

Jeremy rolled his eyes, looking up at Elena. She looked at him with sympathy but wouldn't budge. _Great,_ Jeremy thought.

"Here's the thing Jer," Damon began, captivating the younger Gilbert in his compulsion. "You're gonna leave town for a while. A long while. You're gonna move in with some family-friends in Denver. Take some classes, meet new girls, _living_ girls. You're gonna have a better life."

"Tell him he's gonna leave Mystic Falls behind and not think twice about it." Alaric suggested.

Damon looked back at Elena who nodded her head.

"You're gonna leave Mystic Falls behind and not think twice about it." Damon said.

Jeremy blinked a few times before being filled with the need to begin packing his things. He was moving soon.

* * *

Damon drove me back home and insisted on walking me to the porch. It was clean with just some water marks which would dry within a few hours.

"You did the right thing, Elena," he said to me and I nodded. "He's so lucky to have you as a sister."

"Thank you," I said quietly. "Damon I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you here."

Damon sighed deeply. "Oh Elena," he said. "I'm an idiot."

"What?" I responded. "No, Damon why would you think that?"

"Because I thought I wouldn't feel guilty anymore for wanting what I want."

"Damon," I began. "Don't."

"No, I know," he replied. "I get it. Believe me I get it. My brother's girl and all."

He began to walk down the steps but stopped, "You know if I'm gonna feel guilty about something, I'm gonna be guilty about this."

Next thing I know his lips have met mine. I think about pulling away at first but something makes me enter into the kiss. When Damon pulls away I found myself wanting more. _But I don't love Damon like that._

But that _kiss..._

Damon brushes his hand against my cheek for a moment before leaving me at the porch speechless.

* * *

Stefan was wasting away in the Salvatore cellar. But he didn't care. They would break before he did and then he would get out and go back to living his life. Maybe Klaus would come back and let him leave this forsaken town.

"Stefan!" a cheerful British voice called.

 _Speak of the devil_ , Stefan thought and lifted his head to look at the hybrid through the cell window.

"Look who finally decided to join the party," Stefan grunted. "Wanna bust me out of here so we can get it started?"

"You've read my mind, Ripper." Klaus said as he tore the door open. "Come in darling." he called and a young girl walked in. "I brought you a late night snack." Klaus said to Stefan.

Stefan pulled at his restraints as the veins under his eyes filled in and his fangs extended. He growled lowly in hunger. Klaus lead the shaking girl over to Stefan and offered him her wrist. Stefan bit down and began to drink. Once he regained enough strength, he tore from his restraints and bit into the young girl's neck, draining her until her head came clean off.

Stefan leaned back, relishing the high of the blood for a moment before standing to meet Klaus.

"Now, Ripper," Klaus began, compelling him. "You need to stick around Mystic Falls for a while longer."

Stefan growled at the compulsion. "Aww Ripper," Klaus said. "I need to do gather some more wolves. I'll be back soon."

As Klaus sauntered out of the basement, Stefan began to shake, anger pressing against his humanity switch until it flooded over him. Stefan threw the chair against the wall and pounded his fists into the wall. Anger filled him to the brim. Anger at the lack of control he had over his life, anger that he had pushed Elena away, anger at his brother for being so good to Elena while he was such a dick, anger, anger, anger. But just as quickly as it had surged, he composed himself and switched his feelings back off.

"Woah, what's goin' on brother? How'd you get lose?" Damon asked, walking cautiously into the cell.

Stefan yelled out, charging at Damon and snapping his neck. He walked out of the Boardinghouse to his car, clear about his next move.

He was done with Klaus and he was going to make sure he could never make another hybrid ever again.


	12. Chapter 12 - Wickery Bridge

I watched Damon walk off my porch and into his car, unable to think or move. All I could focus on was the lingering sensation of his lips, his hand softly brushing against my cheek, and how much I liked it all.

In the next instant, I wanted to vomit.

 _Damon?! You kissed Damon,_ I thought as I ran upstairs and changed into some workout clothes. I used to _loathe_ Damon, especially after he killed my brother. And just five minutes ago I was kissing him, like really kissing him. I needed to blow off some steam.

I arrived quickly to Alaric's loft. It was quiet inside, but lights were still on. As I walked inside, Jeremy was walking out. "Hey Elena, what are you doing back here?"

"I was going to do a quick workout, blow off some steam." I replied quickly.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine Jer. Just didn't get a good one in this morning."

"Okay, well I'm gonna go home and start packing."

My heart broke for a quick moment at the thought of Jeremy leaving but I shook it off. This was for the better.

"Ok, see you home." I said and walked inside.

"Alaric!" I called out as I pulled my boxing gloves on. "I'm gonna hit the bag!"

I stared at the bag for a few moments and then started my drills, working hard enough that sweat was already beginning to collect.

"You're gonna put a hole in that thing," Alaric said walking in and steadying the bag. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Nothing to talk about," I grunted, continuing my drill.

"What's got you all worked up?" Alaric said.

"Nothing, I just need to blow off steam."

Alaric looked at me for a moment before I did a push kick into the bag, which caused him to lose his balance.

"Nice, nice!" he exclaimed standing up again. "You're getting stronger."

"I'm just channeling frustration." I said, taking a break.

"I guess Damon's compulsion worked," Alaric said. "Jeremy was talking to me about all the things he was going to do in Denver."

"Damon hasn't called you or anything, right?" I asked.

"No," Alaric answered suspiciously. "Why?"

"No reason." I said and looked up at the clock. It was a quarter to midnight. "Wow. Its late," I said and began gathering my things. "I'm gonna rinse off in your shower and then head out if thats okay?"

"Go for it," Ric said. "I'm gonna go to bed, but take your time Elena."

Ric went to walk to his bedroom and paused. "You know you can talk to me about stuff right? You and Jeremy are like family to me so I'm here."

I nodded, smiling. "Thanks Ric. You're family to us too."

* * *

Damon was smiling to himself as he sauntered down the Gilbert's front walkway into his car. His dumb grin only grew as he drove away. Once he reached the Boardinghouse, he was humming a happy little tune. He danced into his room and took a quick shower, continuing to stare off in glee as he ran the water rinsing himself off. He kept remembering her soft lips against his. And what made him even happier was that she was kissing him back. There was no guilt inside of him at all.

He waltzed over to his closet and began to gather some clothes to sleep in until he heard a crash coming from the basement. His smile wiped off his face, he zipped back into the clothes he had on before and sped down to the basement.

Stefan's cell door was open and there was the body of a young girl laying on the floor with her head detached and a few feet away. The chair Stefan was tied to was in pieces. And there Stefan stood, looking as if he had just had an outburst of anger. _Did his switch flip back on?_ Damon asked himself.

Damon walked cautiously into his brother's cell. "Woah, what's goin' on brother? How'd you get lose?"

Stefan yelled out at him and charged. Damon felt a snap and all went dark.

* * *

Stefan drove quickly to the mansion Klaus was building and burst in through the doors.

"Stefan!" Klaus called out. "What brings you here?"

"I want my freedom from your compulsion. And I want your hybrids gone."

"Well, what a list of demands." Klaus answered walking slowly towards Stefan. "I like having you at my beck & call and I like my hybrids. They're like a family that actually listens to me."

"Yeah because they don't have a say in the matter."

"Wow, I'm hurt. I thought we were friends."

"Friends don't strop friends of their free will."

"Hmm, I guess that is a little extreme." Klaus grabbed Stefan by the shoulder. "You're free."

"You know sometimes I get a little moody." Klaus continued on. "Just ask my siblings."

Stefan scoffed at the statement knowing of Klaus's habit of daggering his siblings and putting them into coffins. Coffins that he had stolen on the way to the mansion.

"What's so funny?" Klaus answered.

"Nothing, just that your storage unit may be empty and might remain empty until you make it up to me."

Klaus sped forward and grabbed Stefan by the throat and pushed him up against a wall. "You better be joking."

"I don't know." Stefan shrugged.

Klaus smashed Stefan's head against the wall. "Give them back."

"Not until your annoying hybrids leave town."

"I will kill you and everyone you've ever loved!" Klaus yelled.

"Ok," Stefan called back as he walked out of the mansion.

 _Well there's one thing checked off the list,_ Stefan thought as he got into his small red car. _Now to make sure he gets rid of the hybrids for good._

* * *

Elena had just arrived back home from Alaric's loft and was crawling into bed. She had her diary open and was writing:

 _I kissed Damon tonight,_ she began but then stopped, crossing out the words. _Well, he kissed me. But I found myself kissing him back.._

There was a knock at Elena's window. She stood up and opened it peering out into the night. Sometimes Stefan would knock at her window to come and visit, but he hadn't been to visit like that ever since... Well since before the summer really. Looking down, she saw that no one was there so she turned to go back into her bed. Buts she froze when she heard a whoosh and felt a breeze along her back. Turning around she saw Stefan lounging on her bed reading her diary.

"Stefan what are you doing?" Elena asked.

"Wow, so you and Damon finally kissed." he said nodding his head. "I mean I feel like I should be upset you know because of our _epic love_ and stuff but whatever good for Damon. Although maybe I should've congratulated him instead of snapped his neck."

"What did you do?" I asked.

"Oh he'll be fine Elena, lighten up." he said patting my shoulder. "He's just burdened by the protect Elena duty."

"Excuse me." I scoffed. "I thought that was your job."

"Not since Klaus gave me freedom."

"When did that happen?" I asked, getting closer. "Stefan this means you can have everything back. Your humanity, happiness, we can start over."

"Don't give me that crap, Elena." Stefan said. "You kissed my brother."

I stood speechless.

"Granted, I don't care. I have a bigger mission."

"And what's that?" I asked tentatively, backing away.

"Well I need to make Klaus suffer for everything he's done. So I've taken his family and I'm gonna start dumping them unless he gets his hybrids out of town."

"Stefan, do you realise what that means? He's going to start killing people!"

"Like I said, I don't care. But speaking of his hybrids.. Come with me."

Before I could speak, Stefan had his hand over my mouth and had zipped out the window.

* * *

Damon woke up with a groan, rubbing at his neck which was finishing fusing back together. Getting up, he took inventory of what was going on around him. "Stefan!" he called out. Silence.

But then his phone rang. "Speak of the devil," Damon said and answered it. "Hello, brother."

 _"Damon!"_ Stefan called from the opposite end of the line. _"Elena, wanna say hi to Damon?"_

"What are you doing with Elena?"

 _"Well first I want to_ _congratulate you for finally getting what you wanted."_

"Stefan.."

 _"Next I want to clue you in on my plan. So I've stolen four coffins with Klaus's family and confronted him to give me my freedom and get rid of the hybrids. I'm free but the hybrids are still in town."_

"Stefan you're going to get everyone killed."

 _"I don't care, Damon. So anyway, I'm thinking of making hybrids a rare breed. You know a limited quantity. And then when Klaus doesn't get rid of them, I start killing them."_

"Stefan don't you do anything to hurt Elena."

 _"We gotta get Klaus to blink."_

And the line went dead. Damon crazily called Klaus, panic building within him.

 _"Wow, communication from two Salvatores in one day."_

"Klaus you better do what Stefan wants."

 _"Oh Damon, are you fearing for your life? I wasn't planning on starting with killing you but we can make other arrangements."_

"Stefan mentioned something about making hybrids a rare breed, with limited quantity."

 _"He wouldn't hurt dear Elena."_

"I don't know Klaus. He's operating on a whole new level of crazy right now. He's got Elena with him."

The line went dead again.

Damon called Alaric to meet up with him and paced the basement wondering where Stefan could've taken Elena..

* * *

"What are you doing Stefan?" I asked after he got off the phone with Damon.

We were speeding along down the back road in the forest.

Stefan didn't speak but smirked when his phone began to ring again.

"So, what's the plan, Stefan? What's the big move you're making?" I asked trying a different tactic.

 **"** I took Klaus's family to make him suffer. I'm not gonna let him make himself a new one."

"So, what are you gonna do, huh? Are you gonna lock me in some cave and keep me hostage?"

"Maybe. Maybe, I'll just turn you into a vampire."

"Stop the car Stefan."

Stefan dialed Klaus and placed the phone on speaker.

 _ **"** Stefan, how nice to hear your voice." _

"Tell your hybrids to get out of town, Klaus."

 _"Well that's not gonna happen until I get my coffins back."_

"Okay," Stefan laughed. "Well then I'm gonna drive your blood source off Wickery Bridge."

My heart began to pound in my chest.

 _"I don't believe you Stefan. You won't kill her."_

Next thing I know Stefan bit down into his wrist and forced it to my mouth.

 _"You'll die Elena." Damon said. "Klaus is going to use you for ritual and kill you!"_

 _"But I'll have drunken the elixir and I'll come back to life."_

 _"If it works."_

 _"It will work!"_

 _Damon had stopped. "There is another way." All of a sudden his wrist was at my throat._

 _Stefan stormed in and saw me choking on the blood. "How could you take that choice away from her?"_

Now I was choking on the blood Stefan had forced on me...

 _"What's going on?"_ Klaus asked through the phone.

"I just fed her my blood. No more hybrids if she's a vampire."

 _"You won't do it."_

"Really? Try me, because your coffins are next to go. Say goodbye to your family Klaus." Stefan slammed down on the gas pedal.

 **"** Stefan, slow down!" I screamed. "Stefan! Stefan, stop it!"

 _ **"** Fine, I'll send them away. You win."_

But Stefan didn't stop, it almost seemed as if he was driving faster.


	13. Chapter 13 - Death

I screamed out again. "Stefan! Stefan, stop!" I pulled my shoulder strap off of me to reach over to Stefan.

 _"Stop the car, Stefan!"_ Klaus pleaded over the phone.

Just as the front tires hit Wickery Bridge, Stefan slammed hard on the breaks.

The next few moments happened in slow motion.

I felt a twinge in my back as my body was flung forward into the dashboard, Stefan's eyes widened in shock. My head slammed hard against the dash board, and I felt my brain smash around in my skull. Stars danced in my vision. The impact against the dash sent me spiralling back, causing me to smash the other side of my head and face against the hard head rest. I was whipped forward again. I heard a hard crack as my head was thrown and everything went dark.

* * *

Everything flooded back as Elena's head hit the dashboard the first time; Stefan's eyes widening in shock.

First all the love Stefan felt for Elena came as memories of their first kiss, the time he took her to the top of the ferris wheel to watch the sunrise, the time she told him that she was in it for the long run.

Second, all his anger at Klaus for ruining his life; ruining his relationship with Elena.

Jealously at Damon for slowly winning over the love of his life.

And lastly, guilt. Stefan did so much to hurt Elena over these past few months and here right now her head was being whipped around so much until *crack*. Stefan cried out in anguish.

He had just killed Elena. She was going to wake up a vampire and it was going to be all his fault. He took that choice away from her. And she was going to hate him forever.

* * *

When the car finally came to a stop, Stefan rushed around the other side of it, ignoring Klaus yelling into the phone. He pulled Elena out of the car, bit into his wrist once again, and pressed it to her lips. The rational part of Stefan knew that it was too late, that she was dead.

But Stefan was not in a rational place.

"C'mon!" he cried, pressing his wrist harder, shaking Elena in his arms. "Drink, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Elena drink."

Another set of headlights illuminated on Stefan. He looked up to see two male figures running towards him. Klaus has already sent his hybrids to kill me, Stefan thought.

"Stefan what happened?" Damon called as he ran to Stefan but stopped when he noticed Elena's lifeless body in his arms. "What did you do."

"I-it was an accident." Stefan cried. "I hit the brakes, I stopped I wasn't going to run her off the bridge. But she got out of her seatbelt to try and stop me and she whiplashed so hard, it killed her."

"So she's dead?" Alaric asked as he came to stand next to Damon.

Stefan shook his head.

"She'll be in transition." Damon answered.

Stefan's heart broke all over again at hearing Damon say it out loud.

"She's gonna hate me." he cried.

Damon turned around and punched Stefan's car, leaving a big dent in the hood. "Damn it, Stefan! Do you realise how hard she fought for you? And you've done nothing but act like a dick!"

Stefan carefully placed Elena down on the ground and came to stand in front of his brother. "You think I don't realise that now?!"

"Well, good thing you flipped the switch back on." Damon replied, getting close into Stefan's face.

"STOP!" Alaric called, stepping in between them. "This is like Katherine all over again."

Stefan took a step back. Damon shuffled his foot against the ground.

"In a few hours," Alaric began. "She is gonna wake up and be faced with a decision, she never wanted to make. But she loves the both of you, so she's going to chose to be a vampire. And she is going to need you now, more than ever. So are you two gonna man up or fight like babies?"

Damon glared at Stefan for a moment. Stefan looked down at Elena in guilt. "She's gonna hate me, Damon. She's gonna hate me forever."

Damon swallowed hard, unsure of what to say. He had to try and put aside his anger at his brother for the moment and try to help him. But he didn't know what to say.

"You know what," Stefan said. "I think you should be the one there when she wakes up, Damon. I see how you two have been going on. I've hurt her too much. And I need to get it together before I can face her again.."

"Stefan.." Damon spoke quietly.

"I'm sorry, brother." Stefan said and walked to his car. He got inside of it and sped away, leaving Alaric and Damon on the bridge with Elena's body.

"Let's get her home," Alaric said.

Damon bent down, picked Elena up, and placed her in the backseat before getting in his car and driving to the Gilbert house.

* * *

Once they arrived, Damon carried Elena up to her room and laid her down on the bed.

"Ric, why don't you run back to the house and get some blood bags. And call Bonnie, have her make a daylight ring."

Ric nodded and left.

Damon looked at Elena's face. Stefan's blood was healing her injuries, so the bruises alongside her face were clearing, but there was still dried blood on her cheek and some that had run down onto her clothes.

Damon went downstairs and grabbed a bowl. He ran back up into Elena's bathroom, filled it with water and grabbed a washcloth. He sat down on the bed and began to wash away the blood on Elena's face. _She looks so quiet, peaceful,_ Damon thought. But all that would end when she woke up and realised what had happened to her.

After he was done washing her face, he got up and grabbed a clean shirt from her drawer. Sitting her up, he removed the stained one, and quickly dressed her in the new shirt. He tucked her into bed, placing her teddy bear in her arms. That way she would be able to just curl right up when she awoke and was in need of security.

Damon got up and paced to her window. Both her and his brother were going to need him a lot in these next few weeks.

* * *

Stefan kept driving. He drove past the "Now Leaving Mystic Falls" Sign, through Grove Hill, out of the state of Virginia. Where he was going to end up, he didn't know. All he did know was that he needed to get away for a while. Maybe start fresh somewhere, away from all the drama of Mystic Falls. At least until he could get it together.

Stefan dialed Damon.

 _"She hasn't woken up yet."_ Damon said.

"I'm going away for a while."

 _"What? No, Stefan. Come home, don't be so dramatic."_

"Damon I went too far this time. I need to take time and get it together."

 _"Is that what you really think?"_ Stefan could hear that Damon was speaking genuinely.

"Yes. Just promise that you'll take care of her."

 _"Of course, brother. Take care of yourself, ok?"_

"I will."

Stefan hung up and kept driving. "I've never been to Portland," he said outloud to himself and decided that he would go there.

* * *

The sun was peeking in through my window brightly but I just wanted to stay in bed for a few minutes longer. I rolled over onto my side and buried my face into my pillow.

 _"Elena?"_ I heard a voice say.

"Daddy?" I asked groggily, reaching out with my hand, eyes still closed. "I'll get up in a bit and grab a quick bite on the way to school."

"Elena, you need to open your eyes." Damon said.

My eyes snapped open and I sat up with a gasp, all the memories washing over me. I looked over to Damon who was sitting on the side of my bed, with eyes full of sadness and deep concern. I just stared at him.

"Elena," he said softly covering my hand with his. "Say something."

"Stefan couldn't have done this to me." I said, shaking my head. "This can't be happening."

Damon looked down at his hands, searching for words to say.

I began to sob.


	14. Chapter 14 - The Choice

I stared blankly at the glass of human blood sitting before me on the kitchen table, tears still in my eyes from my realisation.

"Elena," Damon said, moving towards me softly and taking my hand. "You'll die if you don't drink."

I nodded.

"Damon, give her some time." Ric added on. "This is everything she never wanted. The choice is still hers."

I looked over at Ric for a moment before staring at the glass once again...

 _"I know Bonnie, you're right. You and my mom both are, I just can't bring myself to tell him. At least not tonight. I'll call you later."_

 _"Katherine."_

 _I looked up to see Damon standing in front of me. "Damon, what?"_

 _"Umm.. no." I heard from behind me and turned around to see me walk up to Damon. "I'm Elena."_

 _"Oh, you. You just look..." Damon said confused but shook it off. "I'm sorry. You just really remind me of someone. I'm Damon."_

 _"Not to be rude or anything, Damon, but its kind of creepy that you're out here in the middle of nowhere."_

 _"You're one to talk. You're out here all by yourself."_

 _"Its Mystic Falls. Nothing bad ever happens here... I got into a fight with my boyfriend."_

 _"About what? May I ask."_

 _"Life, the future. He's got it all mapped out."_

 _"And you don't want it?"_

 _"I don't know what I want."_

 _"Well that's not true. You want what everybody wants."_

 _"What? Mysterious stranger who has all the answers."_

 _"Hmm. Well let's just say I've been around a long time. I've learned a few things."_

 _"So, Damon... Tell me. What is it that I want?"_

 _"You want a love that consumes you. You want passion and adventure, and even a little danger."_

 _"So what do you want?"_

 _"Ah.."_

 _A horn honked in the distance; this image of myself and I turned around to see my parent's car pull around._

 _"That's my parents."_

 _"I want you to get everything you're looking for. But right now, I want you to forget that this happened. I can't have people knowing I'm in town yet. Goodnight, Elena."_

 _The image of me blinked_ and she and I were united once again.

"We met first?" I asked, looking up from the table.

"What?" Ric asked.

"I was wondering when this would roll around.." Damon said, sitting down and taking my hand. "Yes, we did."

I looked at him.

"I was so hurt over Katherine and I saw you and you just, well you know, but you opened your mouth and I could tell you were completely different. And I was so drawn to you.. I'm sorry I compelled you that night, but I just didn't know that our lives would become so involved."

"Its okay," I said, cupping Damon's cheek. "I can't help but wonder how things would've played out if you didn't compel me.."

"Well we have forever to give that a chance." Damon replied and gestured toward the glass. "Its your decision."

I exhaled nervously and picked up the glass.

"I'm becoming everything my parents and my friend's parents have ever fought against." I said, tears coming to my eyes once again.

"I know," Damon whispered.

I stared at the glass and swished the contents around before touching it to my lips and downing it.

The thick red blood felt horrible as it coated my mouth and throat but eventually, my body enjoyed the feelings and I realised that this is what I really wanted. Blood.

Then I felt pain.

I yelled out, as my canine's extended into fangs. The veins under my eyes itched and burned as they filled in.

But worst, my skin felt like it was on fire. I looked at my hand to see it smoking and sizzling.

"Damon?" I asked.

"The ring.." Ric said and ran.

Before I even realised what I was doing, I had sped into a shadow in the corner of the room.

Damon ran after Ric and came back with a small blue ring in his hand and knelt down in front of me.

"I had Bonnie make this for you." he said.

"Bonnie," I whispered as I put it on. "Is she ok?"

"She's upset," Damon said. "But I think she just needs time to adjust to everything."

"Wait." I said standing up and remembering how I got into this situation. "Where is Stefan?"

"About that.." Damon said.

* * *

Stefan walked into a small bar in Portland and walked up to the bartender. "I'll have a Bourbon." he said and sat down.

 _I wonder how Elena is,_ Stefan thought and looked at her number in his phone, contemplating whether or not to call her.

A stool shifted next to him and he looked over to see Klaus.

"Listen," Stefan said. "It was an accident. I stopped the car."

"And made my species endangered."

"I'm sorry."

"Is that an apology? Are we feeling again, Stefan?"

Stefan raised his eyebrows and took a sip of his drink.

His phone rang.

"Speaking of Elena," Klaus taunted.

"Hello," Stefan answered.

 _"Stefan, where are you?"_ Elena asked, worried.

 _Her voice sounded so beautiful,_ Stefan thought again.

"Far away."

 _"Stefan, just come home. We can work this out."_

"I've done enough Elena," Stefan said. "I'm not gonna hurt you anymore."

Stefan hung up the phone and looked at Klaus. "I get it, if you want to kill me. And I'm willing to do our buddy, buddy thing again. I need to learn how to control myself though. If I had self control, none of this would've happened."

"I can respect that, Stefan." Klaus said and left.

* * *

"He's not coming home," I said sadly, swallowing back tears.

"I told you," Damon replied.

"But you haven't left." I realised.

"What?"

"Think about it, Damon. Even when you were all Katherine-crazed, you never hurt me. You did a lot of stupid things, that's for sure, but we came to an understanding, a place of respect. And throughout this whole summer and fall you've been nothing but good to me."

Damon stared at me, as the wheels turned in my head.

"I think I need to give you a chance," I whispered.

"What?" Damon asked.

I looked up at Damon.

And I kissed him.


	15. Chapter 15 - I Love You, Damon

_Months have passed since I first kissed Damon in my kitchen after transitioning into a vampire,_ I wrote in my diary. _Being a vampire wasn't easy. An extra feeling of intensity has been added to my life in all aspects. And while I was falling deeper and deeper in love with Damon as the days passed, I couldn't help but miss and feel so guilty about Stefan._

A knock on the door to my house brought me from my thoughts _. Damon must be early,_ I thought and moved to answer it. However, it was the younger Salvatore brother who was standing behind the door.

"Stefan, you're back!" I exclaimed and moved to hug him. As I pulled away, I discovered that he was holding a small bouquet of flowers. I looked at them, unsure of Stefan's intentions.

"Its not like that, Elena." he said.

I exhaled.

"I'm not here to get you back," Stefan continued. "I wanted to apologise for everything I put you through. For turning you into a vampire. For breaking your heart over and over again this past year. For everything."

"Stefan.." I began but he cut me off.

"I also wanted to thank you, for not giving up on me, for always fighting for me. And I know we will probably never be together again, but just know that I will always care about you. And I hope we can be friends."

I smiled up at Stefan. "Of course." I took the flowers from his hand and breathed in the rich scent, which was even richer due to my heightened senses. It was so good it was dizzying.

"Why don't you come in and have a cup of coffee with me?" I said moving aside from the door to let him in. "Tell me what you've been up to these last few months."

* * *

Damon was never going to get used to how good it felt to have Elena in his arms. He turned over in his large four poster bed to move a stray piece of hair from her face.

"Are you watching me sleep?" Elena asked, groggily.

"Of course I am."

Elena's eyes opened slowly and she smiled up at Damon. "Was I drooling?" she asked and Damon laughed before drawing her in closer to his chest.

"A beautiful woman as yourself could never drool."

Elena laughed and Damon savoured the feeling of her voice vibrating against his chest. He kissed her on the top of the head.

"Damon?" she asked and he pulled her back, hearing the concern in her voice.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I... Damon are you ok with Stefan being back?"

"Elena he's my brother."

"I know, but we had our epic love and stuff."

"Ok, now you're making me nervous."

"You don't have to be Damon. Stefan and I are just friends. He came by the house when he first got back and gave me flowers and apologised for everything that happened between us."

Small tears began to gather in Elena's eyes and Damon brushed them away.

"After all that time, it was good to get closure. I mean Damon, he did so much to hurt me over the past year."

"I know, Elena. I know."

"But I forgive him, Damon. Because after everything, he's still sweet and sensitive Stefan. And he is a good person."

Elena looked up into Damon's eyes.

"But after everything, I realise.. I realise that you have given me everything I ever wanted."

Damon was beeming, feeling love and passion build up within him as Elena continued.

"You have made me question so much about myself. You have given me passion and adventure, and a love that consumed me. There has definitely been danger. But I feel so complete with you."

"Elena-" Damon began, leaning in but she cut him off.

"I love you, Damon. I love you so much I feel like I could burst."

"Well the bursting sensation may be caused by the vampirism."

"Damon," Elena laughed and pushed against him. "Shut up and kiss me."

Damon leaned in slowly, and placed his lips against Elena's. The kiss was gentle and chaste at first but as it deepened it grew in passion and flame...

Damon and Elena fell asleep tangled together and embracing each other so tightly their bodies could melt together.

And when Elena woke up the following morning she realised that she was truly happy and looking over to Damon next to her, she whispered again.

"I love you."

 **-THE END-**


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